Michael Kovnick

Consulting

Helping travel & hospitality companies go direct, digitally and sustainably

I ran an internet-pioneer software company for nearly two decades, then a direct-to-consumer travel company for another two. That combination is rare, and it's the whole point. I've solved the problem you're facing. I didn't read a case study about it.

01

Digital-First Transformation Audit

A fixed-fee, 1-2 week diagnostic of your booking funnel, SEO/GEO visibility, and OTA dependency. You get a written roadmap at the end. This is the natural place to start, and it's the same problem I solved building the first fully-online tour operator.

  • Booking funnel & conversion review
  • SEO/GEO visibility audit
  • OTA-dependency assessment
  • Written roadmap with prioritized fixes
02

Fractional Digital / GEO Strategy Advisory

Monthly guidance for companies that want a standing strategic partner instead of a one-time report. Worth more than it used to be, now that AI answer engines are rewriting how travelers search and decide.

  • ~8-10 hrs/month of strategic guidance
  • Scales with company size
  • Direct access, not a junior account team
03

Anti-Extractive Tourism Model Consulting

For destinations, DMOs, and NGOs redesigning local-revenue economics around a published, field-tested framework. Twenty years of results sit behind it, not theory.

  • Grounded in published SSRN research
  • 20-year working proof case
  • Suited to grant-funded & institutional budgets
04

Turnaround / Crisis Consulting

Hands-on, project-based work for a travel or hospitality business in real trouble. It's the same role I was offered in 2007 and turned down, except now there's skin in the game on both sides.

  • Base fee plus results-based bonus or revenue share
  • Hands-on, not advisory-only
  • Built from direct recession-era experience

On scope and fees: every engagement gets quoted on its own terms, once I understand the business and what actually needs fixing. I take a small number of clients at a time, which means I can be honest early about whether I'm the right person for the problem.