What POLLINATOR does

POLLINATOR is a New York City-based boutique consultancy founded in 2011 that connects luxury and premium travel brands with the global travel trade. The firm specializes in travel-trade engagement spanning both leisure and MICE segments, and serves hotels, resorts, airlines, and tourism boards through three productized offerings: T.A.S (The Appointment Service), a concierge matching service that orchestrates appointment weeks, sales missions, and road shows through leading advisor networks such as Virtuoso, Signature Travel Network, and Traveller Made; Brand Solutions, focused on brand elevation and market development strategy; and LGBTQ+ Community Services, a specialized line offering first-hand market intelligence and bespoke engagements for the LGBTQA travel market. The firm operates as an extension of client teams on the ground across North America, Europe, and Latin America, executing targeted campaigns that drive qualified advisor engagement.

The company is led by founder and managing partner Rafael Olivares, whose hybrid background as both a former travel advisor and a supplier-side brand manager for international travel brands including Évian Resort, L'Avion/OpenSkies, Eurostar, and Visit Finland underpins the firm's positioning. POLLINATOR generates revenue through consulting and professional-services fees on a quote-based engagement model that is not publicly disclosed. Its customer base comprises roughly ten named enterprise and mid-market clients across luxury hospitality, premium airlines, and destination marketing organizations, with no disclosed funding, equity investors, M&A activity, or external capital structure.

Name

POLLINATOR

Legal name

Pollinator

Website

https://pollinator.nyc

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

POLLINATOR is a New York City-based boutique consultancy founded in 2011 that connects luxury and premium travel brands with the global travel trade via appointment programs, sales missions, and brand representation across North America, Europe, and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Trade Consulting

NAICS

Media Buying Agencies (54183), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

VIP/Executive Travel Desk & Concierge (Corporate) (THAKACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

VIP Access & Skip-the-Line Experiences (THAJALAC), Influencer Campaign Operations & Managed Services (BPAFAHAF)

Keywords

• Travel trade representation
• Luxury travel consulting
• Brand representation services
• Sales mission programs
• Travel trade engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

New York City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Professional Services: Pollinator generates revenue through consulting fees for travel trade engagement, brand representation, and market development services. Their revenue model is based on professional services engagements including appointment programs, sales missions, and trade events for luxury and premium travel brands.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Pollinator is a boutique consultancy that connects luxury and premium travel brands (hotels, resorts, airlines, DMCs, destinations) with the travel trade distribution channel through appointment programs, sales missions, road shows, and brand representation services. Its core offering, T.A.S. (The Appointment Service), is a concierge service that arranges appointments with elite travel advisor networks including Virtuoso, Signature, and Traveller Made, supplemented by Brand Solutions and LGBTQ+ Community Services. The firm operates as an extension of clients' teams on the ground across North America, Europe, and Latin America.

Product overview

POLLINATOR is a New York City-based boutique consultancy offering a unified portfolio of travel trade engagement services. The core offerings include T.A.S (The Appointment Service) — a concierge matching service connecting luxury travel brands with top-tier travel advisors and networks — and Brand Solutions for brand elevation and market development. Specialized LGBTQ+ Community Services address the niche LGBTQA travel market. These services work together to deliver end-to-end travel trade engagement spanning appointment programs, sales missions, trade events, and market development across North America, Europe, and Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• T.A.S. (The Appointment Service): A concierge service that connects partner clients with top travel trade professionals, creating appointment weeks, sales missions, and road shows.

Products and services

• T.A.S. (The Appointment Service) Concierge service that connects partner clients with the crème de la crème of the travel trade by arranging appointment weeks, sales missions, and road shows in collaboration with top travel networks such as Virtuoso, Signature, and Traveller Made. Designed for luxury and premium travel brands seeking qualified engagement with elite travel advisors.
• Brand Solutions Brand elevation and market development service for hotels, airlines, destinations, and other travel brands, focusing on development and expansion strategies that engage the travel trade globally. Includes brand representation and broader market development support.
• LGBTQ+ Community Services Specialized market services for the LGBTQ+ community offering first-hand business intelligence and targeted engagements to increase visibility through bespoke services for the LGBTQA travel market. Aimed at travel brands seeking to engage LGBTQA travelers and advisors.

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• VirtuosocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVirtuoso is a top travel network that Pollinator collaborates with to connect their partner clients with premium travel advisors. They specialize in creating appointment weeks, sales missions, and road shows through this network.
• Signature Travel NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSignature is a leading travel network that Pollinator works with to facilitate connections between their luxury brand clients and top-tier travel advisors. The partnership enables targeted appointment programs and sales missions.
• Traveller MadecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraveller Made is a prestigious travel network that Pollinator collaborates with to connect their partner clients with elite travel trade professionals. The relationship enables exclusive appointment weeks and sales missions for luxury travel brands.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• MMGY Global: Large integrated marketing firm dedicated to the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. Overlaps with Pollinator's brand representation and market development work but serves a much broader portfolio of clients and services.
• 5W Public Relations: Full-service PR agency with a dedicated travel and hospitality consumer practice. Overlaps with Pollinator in delivering brand campaigns and trade engagement for premium travel brands.
• Lou Hammond Group: Long-standing luxury travel and hospitality public relations agency. Overlaps with Pollinator's brand elevation and trade engagement services for premium hotel and resort clients.
• Questex Travel + Events: Operator of trade events, content, and media destinations for the travel industry (including travel trade shows). Adjacent to Pollinator's trade-event and road-show product.

Direct peers

• The Brandman Agency: PR and marketing firm focused on travel, hospitality, and lifestyle brands. Direct comparable to Pollinator's brand solutions and appointment programming work.
• Miles Partnership: Destination marketing and travel trade engagement firm that creates strategies for DMOs and travel brands. Closely comparable to Pollinator's destination marketing work for clients such as Visit Sweden.
• Maria Sophia Coutts Consulting: Independent boutique consulting firm providing sales representation and trade marketing for luxury hospitality brands. Closely comparable boutique-scale peer to Pollinator.
• JWC Group: Boutique luxury travel representation firm specializing in sales missions, trade events, and advisor engagement. Directly comparable in offering and target client profile.
• Cheryl L. Karp Enterprises: Boutique public relations and brand representation firm specializing in luxury travel and hospitality. Competes head-to-head with Pollinator for premium travel brand representation mandates.

Emerging players

• DCI (Destination Consultants International): Destination marketing representation firm connecting DMOs and travel suppliers with North American trade. Comparable to Pollinator's appointment and sales mission offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pollinator

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 POLLINATOR