Culture Discovery Press
Marta Marques
Executive Summary
Marta Marques is the driving force behind Culture Discovery's strategic partnerships. A seasoned travel industry executive with over two decades of experience - from directing high-end hotels to serving as Assistant Executive Director for the Porto Convention & Visitors Bureau - she brings a rare, 360-degree understanding of the tourism landscape.
As the successful founder of her own acclaimed tour company, she ultimately merged it with Culture Discovery in a partnership of equals, becoming the fourth vested partner. Today, she spearheads the company's growth into new markets, develops its vital B2B operations, and creates the strategic frameworks that allow the company's unique, relationship-based model to scale with its soul intact.
Areas of Expertise for Media & Speaking
Marta is available for interviews and speaking engagements in Portuguese, Spanish, and English
Strategic Growth for Authentic Brands
How to scale a high-touch, experience-based business without sacrificing quality.
From Competitors to Partners
The power of strategic mergers and values-aligned collaborations in the travel industry.
Destination Management & Market Entry
A strategic view on how tour operators and destination marketing organizations (DMOs) can partner for sustainable growth.
The Future of B2B & Corporate Travel
How to create meaningful corporate and private travel experiences that go beyond logistics.
Portuguese & Spanish Tourism Trends
Expert commentary from a founder and leader with deep, on-the-ground experience in the Iberian market.
A Strategist's Journey from High-End Hotels to Authentic Connection
The Consummate Hospitality Professional
Marta's career was forged in the traditional high-end hotel industry. After graduating from the prestigious Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Porto, she spent nearly 15 years rising through the ranks of some of the city's most respected establishments, from the Grande Hotel do Porto to directing the Miravillas Hotel. This formative period gave her a deep, first-hand understanding of hotel operations, commercial management, and the expectations of the luxury consumer.
A Destination-Level Perspective
Her career took a pivotal strategic turn when she was appointed Assistant Executive Director for the Associação de Turismo do Porto - Convention & Visitors Bureau. In this role, she moved from managing a single property to helping shape the tourism strategy for an entire city. This experience gave her a unique, macro-level understanding of a destination's entire tourism ecosystem—from international marketing and B2B relations to sustainable development.
The Entrepreneurial Leap
Distilling two decades of insight from these varied roles, Marta took the entrepreneurial leap and founded her own acclaimed tour company, Wild Douro. She built a successful business from the ground up, based on her deep knowledge of the region and a desire to offer something more meaningful than the standard package tour.
A Meeting of Minds
In 2018, her path crossed with Culture Discovery. Introduced as a local expert, she quickly recognized that CDV's "anti-luxury" philosophy was the very thing she had been striving for. When the first joint tour ran, she was "blown away that this style was possible." It was a catalyst. Over the next few years, the partnership deepened into a seamless collaboration, with Marta and her team becoming an integral, unofficial part of the CDV family.
A Merger of Equals
In 2024, the natural evolution of this relationship was formalized. Marta merged her company with Culture Discovery in a true partnership of equals, becoming the fourth shareholder. This was not an acquisition; it was the fusion of two successful, philosophically-aligned companies to create something stronger.
The Architect of Global Growth
As Global Chief Strategy Officer, Marta now applies her founder's mindset and deep strategic background to the company's global expansion. She leverages her comprehensive understanding of the industry - as a hotelier, a destination marketer, and a founder - to guide Culture Discovery's strong consumer brand into B2B, ensuring that every new experience delivers on the promise that first inspired her: travel that is truly transformational.
Speaking Engagements for Strategic & B2B Audiences
As a successful founder and CSO, Marta offers strategic insights in Portuguese, Spanish, and English on the power of collaboration and values-aligned growth in the travel industry.
From Competitors to Partners: A Founder's Guide to Strategic Mergers
Description: A powerful, real-life case study on how two successful tour operators chose collaboration over competition. Marta shares the vulnerable, behind-the-scenes story of merging her company, Wild Douro, with Culture Discovery. She provides a rare and honest look at how to identify a values-aligned partner, navigate the complexities of a merger of equals, and build a stronger, more resilient company together.
Best for: Entrepreneurship Summits, B2B Travel Conferences, M&A Panels, Business Schools.
The Art of Authentic Growth: Scaling a Soulful Brand
Description: How do you grow a business built on human connection without losing its soul? Marta, drawing on her experience as a hotel director, DMO leader, and now Global CSO, provides a strategic framework for scaling an "anti-luxury" brand. She covers key topics from market entry and B2B partnerships to ensuring quality and cultural integrity across multiple countries.
Best for: Strategic Growth Conferences, Destination Management Summits, B2B Marketing Events.
Speaking Investment
The investment for a keynote or workshop with Marta typically ranges from $15,000 - $30,000 plus travel, depending on the specifics of the event.
Contact for Media & Speaking Engagements
Email: press@culturediscovery.com
Phone: +1 813-467-7203
Available for interviews, speaking engagements, and expert commentary on strategic partnerships and Iberian tourism markets.
Languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English