Behind the Scenes Travel

What Behind the Scenes Travel does

Behind the Scenes Travel (BTS) is a privately-held, founder-operated luxury travel concierge headquartered in Napa Valley, California. The company was built by Ona Marks and her partner Dan Marks, former vineyard owners with more than 20 years of food, wine, luxury travel, and special events experience. BTS operates two interrelated product lines: (1) Napa Valley and Sonoma County wine country getaways and corporate event planning services targeting high-net-worth individuals and enterprise clients, and (2) annual curated small-group trips to Italian wine regions (Puglia, Tuscany, Sicily, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna) for discerning travelers seeking exclusive access to private wineries, heritage accommodations, and Michelin-level culinary experiences.

The business model is service-based rather than technology-based: BTS has no proprietary platform, app, or API, operating instead through a Squarespace-hosted website (behindthescenes-travel.com), a phone line (707-483-0123), and a single founder email inbox ([email protected]). Pricing follows two patterns — per-person unit pricing for Italy group trips ($5,700-$7,500 per guest, capped at 7-14 guests per departure) and custom quote-based pricing for corporate events and bespoke wine country getaways. Distribution is exclusively direct; there are no third-party resellers, marketplaces, or travel-agent intermediaries.

Underlying capability is relational rather than technological. The company's competitive position rests on decades of personal relationships with collector-level Napa/Sonoma wineries, Italian winemakers, local purveyors, and heritage properties (e.g., Palás Cerequio at Michele Chiarlo Winery, Monteverdi in Tuscany, Osteria Francescana in Modena). BTS also operates within a related-company ecosystem alongside Behind the Scenes, Inc. (special events production and destination management) and Designated Drivers Napa/Sonoma, Inc., enabling bundled offerings for corporate clients and a degree of operational cross-subsidy. The company has remained privately held with no disclosed institutional funding, no employees listed, and no public revenue figures.

Name

Behind the Scenes Travel

Legal name

Behind the Scenes Travel

Website

https://behindthescenes.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Behind the Scenes Travel is a Napa Valley-based, founder-operated luxury travel concierge offering curated small-group trips to Italian wine regions and bespoke Napa/Sonoma corporate events and wine country getaways for high-net-worth individuals and enterprise clients, sold direct via its website, phone, and email.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Wine Tourism and Corporate Event Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Culinary & Wine Travel Agencies (THAKAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Culinary & Wine Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAJ)

Keywords

• Luxury wine travel
• Italian wine tours
• Corporate event planning
• Wine country experiences
• Curated Italy trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Napa Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Luxury Group Travel Packages: The company generates revenue through all-inclusive luxury travel packages to wine regions in Napa, Sonoma, and Italy. Packages include accommodations, food, wine, activities, and exclusive experiences. Revenue is earned on a per-person or per-trip basis.
2. Corporate Event Planning: BTS provides corporate event planning services including concept development, destination management, transportation, hotel negotiation, food & beverage operations, and venue sourcing for Napa and Sonoma corporate retreats, incentive trips, team building, and strategy sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Behind the Scenes Travel curates and operates small-group luxury travel packages and bespoke event planning centered on wine country. Its offerings include (1) Napa Valley and Sonoma County wine country getaways with private tastings at collector-level wineries, (2) corporate event planning services for incentive trips, team building, and strategy sessions, and (3) annual European immersion trips to a rotating Italian wine region (Puglia, Tuscany, Sicily, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna) with all-inclusive accommodations, dining, and exclusive experiences. Packages are sold directly per-person and corporate engagements via custom quotes.

Product overview

Behind the Scenes Travel operates as a single unified offering—a luxury wine country and European immersion travel service—that encompasses three core product lines: Wine Country Getaways (Napa Valley and Sonoma County experiences), Corporate Events (team-building and incentive trips), and European Immersion Experiences (curated Italy trips). The Wine Country Getaways and Corporate Events services share the Napa/Sonoma infrastructure and local winery relationships, while European Immersion Experiences represents separately packaged regional Italy trips (Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Sicily, Tuscany, Puglia). All services are built around the company's core competency of insider access to private venues, custom itineraries, and concierge-level coordination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wine Country Getaways All-inclusive luxury wine country touring experiences in Napa Valley and Sonoma County with private wine tastings with vintners, custom wine tasting itineraries, and private experiences at family-owned wineries for high-net-worth leisure travelers.
• Corporate Events Corporate event planning services in Napa Valley and Sonoma County covering concept development, transportation, hotel negotiation, food and beverage operations, and venue sourcing for team-building activities, management incentive trips, and corporate strategy sessions.
• Puglia 2018 Italy Trip Seven-day small-group journey through Puglia (the heel of Italy's boot) with stays at Masseria Petrarolo, a restored 1689 fortified farmhouse, visits to medieval villages, cooking classes, and wine tastings.
• Tuscany 2019 Italy Trip Seven-day Tuscany experience staying at Monteverdi, a restored 13th-century medieval UNESCO World Heritage village, featuring Brunello di Montalcino and Super Tuscan tastings, Antinori Estate private tour, and cooking classes.
• Sicily 2020 Italy Trip Seven-day Sicily trip featuring Mt Etna wine region, Taormina, Michelin star dining, Granita and Cannoli dessert experiences, cooking classes with winemakers, and olive oil and honey tastings; planned at $5,700 per person and cancelled due to COVID-19.
• Piedmont 2023 Italy Trip Seven-day immersion in Piedmont featuring Barolo and Barbaresco wine tastings, truffle hunts, cooking classes, Turin tours, slow food movement experiences in Bra, and chocolate tastings, with accommodations at Palas Cerequio.
• Emilia-Romagna 2025 Italy Trip Seven-day Emilia-Romagna experience featuring Ferrari driving, truffle hunting, dining at 3 Michelin Star Osteria Francescana, balsamic vinegar tasting, Parmesan cheese farm visits, gelato making, and cooking classes, priced at $7,500 per person double occupancy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Exclusive access to 3 Michelin Star Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana restaurant (requires 6-month advance reservations)

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Anna SavinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnna Savino is an ex-pat wine scholar living in the Barolo region of Piedmont. She has partnered with founder Ona Marks to showcase the best of Piedmont to guests on the annual Italy trip. Anna provides local expertise, relationships with winemakers, and authentic cultural immersion experiences in Piedmont.
• Italian Partners and PurveyorscoreOthersLocal Italian contacts and purveyors who guide BTS to the best experiences each region offers. They have opened doors for exclusive access to authentic Italian traditions, cuisine, culture, and land experiences including local chefs, winemakers, farmers, and artisans.
• Michele Chiarlo WineryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichele Chiarlo is a historic Piedmontese winery that owns the Palás Cerequio property, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The property was recovered from an ancient noble palace and offers guests a luxury wine immersion experience in the heart of one of the most famous crus of Barolo wine.
• Behind the Scenes, Inc.coreOthersParent company and sister brand to Behind the Scenes Travel. Founded by Ona Marks, it is a special events production company providing event production and destination management expertise that complements the travel company's offerings.
• Designated Drivers Napa/Sonoma, Inc.minorOthersA related company also founded by Ona Marks, providing designated driver services in Napa and Sonoma wine country. Offers safe transportation solutions for wine country visitors.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Select Italy: Luxury Italy-focused tour operator offering custom and curated travel experiences. Closest peer in product category, customer base (discerning U.S. travelers), and bespoke-service model.
• Italy Food and Wine Tours: Specialist in food and wine-focused small-group tours across Italy's wine regions. Directly comparable to BTS in culinary/wine trip structure and target customer.
• Custom Italy Tours: Bespoke Italy travel designer creating custom itineraries for individual travelers. Comparable to BTS on custom itinerary planning and luxury positioning.
• Wine Paths: Curated wine tourism experiences across multiple wine regions including Italy. Comparable through wine-region focus, exclusive cellar access, and premium small-group format.
• Walks of Italy: Operates small-group and private guided tours across Italy's major destinations. Comparable to BTS on Italy-focused guided experiences and premium small-group model.
• Tour Italy Now: Italy-focused tour operator offering guided small-group trips across multiple Italian regions. Comparable to BTS's multi-region Italy trip portfolio and direct-to-consumer booking.

Emerging players

• Zicasso: Online luxury travel marketplace connecting travelers with vetted tour operators for bespoke trips. Comparable as a sales/distribution channel competing for the same high-net-worth traveler.

Broad incumbents

• Abercrombie & Kent: Established global luxury tour operator offering high-end escorted and custom travel including wine regions. Comparable on luxury positioning and custom itinerary capability, though far larger in scope.
• Viator: Large online marketplace for tours and activities globally, including wine country experiences. Comparable as a distribution channel and competitive channel for wine-region tour bookings.

Regional players

• Napa Valley Wine Trolley: Napa-focused wine tour operator running group tasting experiences in Napa Valley. Comparable on Napa wine tour offering and small-group format, though positioned at a more accessible price point.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Behind the Scenes Travel