New York City · Going Global
MarisaCosta
Luxury Travel Expert
Connector
Innovator
Thought Leader
New York City · Going Global
About
Curiosity has always been my compass. I studied abroad on three continents, taught English in Spain, and ended up in the luxury travel industry — not by accident, but because the world kept pulling me forward. A University of Michigan grad (Go Blue!), what started as a role at a tour operator became a 15-year career that took me through safari specialization, agency leadership, advisor recruitment, and eventually, entrepreneurship.
The thread through everything I do is the same: I see a gap and I build something. I noticed the lack of next-generation advisors and created the NEXT program. I saw that advisors had no real community and founded AMIKO. I watched talented people struggle to break into luxury travel without the right support and co-founded Connexus. I got tired of losing contacts at industry events and built ROLO. At this point, building is just how I think.
A born-and-bred New Yorker from Queens, I’ve traveled the world extensively — always with great food, genuine curiosity, and a keen eye for what makes a property truly special. I live in Queens with my Maltese Pippa, and I’m usually working on at least three things at once.
Work With Me
For Travelers
I leverage deep destination knowledge and unrivaled supplier relationships to craft exclusive, seamless itineraries for discerning travelers — by referral only. From multi-country African safaris to bespoke European grand tours, every trip comes with Virtuoso preferred partner benefits, genuine insider access, and a level of personalization that simply can't be replicated.
For Businesses & Advisors
Having personally stayed at hundreds of the world's top hotels, I provide brands with candid expert feedback that only comes from real experience. I connect hotels, tourism boards, and travel brands with the right advisors and industry insiders — and build custom, all-in-one apps for independent advisors and agencies so they can ditch the patchwork of expensive tools and run their entire business from one place.
Projects & Ventures
ROLO is a modern networking app built around the simplest interaction in business: meeting someone in person. Tap phones, exchange contact info, and never lose a connection again even when people move — no paper cards, no friction.
myrolo.io →Connexus is a luxury travel advisor training program built for the next generation of advisors who want to do it right — filling the gap left by programs that are outdated, expensive, or both. Co-founded with Marat Shkandin, it combines real-world expertise with a clear path to building a sustainable, high-end business.
travelconnexus.com →AMIKO is the advisor community and brand I built to connect, support, and elevate the modern generation of luxury travel advisors. It's the through-line across everything I do — the belief that this industry is better when its people are better connected.
amiko.travel →PROST NYC is a luxury travel industry networking organization bringing together advisors, suppliers, and hospitality leaders in New York. As Director of Events, I design experiences that turn colleagues into collaborators.
prostnyc.com →Get In Touch
Whether you're dreaming of a bucket-list safari, building a travel business, or have an idea you want to talk through — I'd love to hear from you. Fill out the form and I'll be in touch.
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