What Destination Think does

Destination Think (legal entity: Think! X Innovations Inc., d/b/a Destination Think! Professional Services) is a Vancouver-based marketing and management consultancy founded in 2009 that serves destination management organizations (DMOs) and tourism authorities globally. The company describes itself as a membership organization operating the Destination Think Collective, a curated alliance of more than 20 leading destinations that collaborate on sustainable tourism, destination stewardship, and climate-action initiatives. Member destinations include Wonderful Copenhagen, Destination Queenstown, Lake Wānaka Tourism, Tourism Tofino, Unama'ki/Cape Breton Island, Coffs Harbour, Experience Kissimmee, Travel Marquette, and Visit Seattle, with the company also providing strategic planning, branding, and advisory services to a broader set of organizations the company states numbers in the hundreds over its 15+ year history.

The core product is the Collective membership program, supplemented by Destination Stewardship Plans (e.g., the ʔiisaak plan for Tofino, the Unama'ki/Cape Breton Island Sustainability Plan), the annual Destination Think Forum (Forum 2025 in Queenstown), the 24 Hours of Travel Innovation digital event, the Travel Beyond podcast, the 100 Travel Innovations content series, a short-film program, and the DMO Matters weekly newsletter. Underlying technology is not disclosed in available sources; the company maintains a website (destinationthink.com) and a separate innovations portal (innovate.destinationthink.com), and operates a US subsidiary (Destination Think! USA Inc.) with data hosted on US-based servers. There is no evidence of proprietary software, AI/ML models, or patents.

The business model is anchored on recurring Collective membership fees from a limited set of aligned destinations, complemented by project-based strategic planning, branding, and sustainability advisory engagements. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and membership is offered on a limited, application-style basis. The company is bootstrapped, privately held, and operates with 11-50 employees, including a CEO (Rodney), COO (Holly C.), Associate Creative Director (Sara Raymond de Booy), and editorial/podcast staff. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no parent company.

Name

Destination Think

Legal name

Think! X Innovations Inc.

Website

https://destinationthink.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Destination Think is a Vancouver-based membership organization and consultancy that runs the Destination Think Collective, a global alliance of more than 20 destination management organizations collaborating on sustainable tourism strategy, branding, and stewardship planning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing and Management Consulting

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Experiential Logistics & Tour Management (Roadshows) (MPAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Destination marketing
• Tourism consulting
• Destination management
• Sustainable tourism
• Branding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Destination Think operates as a membership organization offering limited membership to destinations aligned with their sustainability mission. Members gain access to peer learning, the Collective network, and resources to accelerate sustainable tourism adoption.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Destination Think is a destination marketing and management consultancy that operates as a membership organization (the Destination Think Collective) serving destination management organizations (DMOs) and tourism boards. It sells strategic planning, branding, campaigning, creative, and destination stewardship advisory services to destinations, and convenes its members through the annual Destination Think Forum and 24 Hours of Travel Innovation digital event.

Product overview

Destination Think is a destination marketing and management consultancy operating as a membership organization that empowers destinations to lead sustainable transformation. The core offering is the Destination Think Collective, a global alliance of destination management organizations (DMOs) that collaborate on sustainable tourism solutions. Supporting the Collective are advisory and strategic planning services, a content platform including the Travel Beyond podcast, 100 Travel Innovations initiative, and Short Films series showcasing destination sustainability stories. The company also produces the annual Destination Think Forum and 24 Hours of Travel Innovation events, develops custom Destination Stewardship Plans for member destinations, and publishes the DMO Matters weekly newsletter. The portfolio is anchored by the belief that collective collaboration accelerates the adoption of sustainable solutions more effectively than individual efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Destination Think Collective: A global alliance of ambitious, forward-thinking travel leaders collaborating to ensure tourism serves communities
• Travel Beyond
• 100 Travel Innovations
• DMO Matters
• Forum

Products and services

• Destination Think Collective (Membership) Annual membership in a global alliance of leading destination management organizations (DMOs) that enables members to learn from one another, share sustainability playbooks, and participate in the Destination Think Forum and peer programs. Targeted at government and quasi-government destination management organizations.
• Strategic Planning & Advisory Services Consulting engagements covering strategic planning, branding, promotion, destination planning, organizational change, and sustainability strategy for destination organizations of all sizes internationally. Includes custom destination stewardship plans such as the ʔiisaak plan for Tofino and the Unama'ki/Cape Breton Island Sustainability Plan.
• Destination Think Forum Annual executive retreat event for international destination leaders, featuring site visits, panels, workshops, and exclusive looks at destinations undergoing green transitions.
• 24 Hours of Travel Innovation Annual digital event delivering 24 hours of continuous programming on sustainable travel innovations to connect destination leaders and share knowledge about sustainable travel practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Working with hundreds of destination organizations globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Wonderful CopenhagencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partnership dating back to at least 2017. Destination Think contributed to Copenhagen's landmark 'The End of Tourism as We Know It' strategy (2017) and the 'Copenhagen, All Inclusive' 2024 strategy. CEO Mikkel Aarø-Hansen described Rodney and his teams as 'true leaders when it comes to both ambition and action.'
• Destination QueenstowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration supporting rapid climate action including the development of Queenstown Lakes' Carbon Zero by 2030 goal. Hosted Forum 2025 in Queenstown, New Zealand.
• Lake Wānaka TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Forum 2025 and sustainable tourism initiatives in the Queenstown Lakes region.
• Tourism TofinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective member; developed the ʔiisaak destination stewardship plan expressing the vision for sustainable tourism in Tofino, British Columbia.
• Unama'ki/Cape Breton IslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective member; developed the Unama'ki/Cape Breton Island Sustainability Plan positioning tourism to support cultural renewal, environmental stewardship, and a strong workforce.
• Experience KissimmeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective member featured on Travel Beyond podcast; pioneered Trees for Travel program planting over 140,000 trees globally.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Resonance Consultancy: Place-branding and destination marketing consultancy producing Best Cities rankings and advising destinations on brand strategy. Direct peer in destination branding, strategy, and competitive positioning work.
• Tempest (formerly Two Degrees): Purpose-driven marketing agency with a strong sustainable tourism and travel practice, working with destinations, hospitality brands, and DMOs. Closely comparable to Destination Think's sustainability-led destination positioning.
• Simpleview: Provides CRM, website, and digital marketing services specifically built for destination marketing organizations. Direct peer in the DMO servicing space with overlapping destination-marketing focus and similar client base.
• Bloom Consulting: Place branding and country/region branding consultancy producing Country Brand and City Brand rankings. Comparable peer in destination branding strategy and competitive positioning advisory.
• MMGY Global: One of the largest integrated marketing firms serving the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry, with dedicated destination marketing practice serving DMOs globally. Closest direct competitor to Destination Think's strategic planning and destination branding work.

Broad incumbents

• Brand USA: The national destination marketing organization for the United States, running large-scale campaigns and partnerships. Comparable as a destination-marketing entity, though operating at much larger scale and scope.
• Destination International: The global trade association for destination marketing organizations, offering education, research, and advocacy. Comparable ecosystem player serving overlapping DMO clients, though as an industry body rather than a consultancy.

Regional players

• Tourism New Zealand: National tourism organization for New Zealand running destination marketing campaigns and sustainability programs. Regional peer in destination marketing strategy and a known partner ecosystem member of Destination Think.
• VisitDenmark (Danish Tourism Board): National tourism organization for Denmark promoting sustainable tourism development. Regional peer in destination strategy and sustainability advisory, and a member of the same Nordic DMO ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Arival: Research and community platform focused on the tours, activities, and attractions sector, with adjacent destination-marketing insights. Emerging player intersecting with Destination Think's destination ecosystem but focused on operators rather than DMOs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/destination-think
• Xx.com/DstnThink

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Destination Think