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Max Starkov is a leading hospitality and online travel industry technologist, consultant, and digital strategist with more than 30 years of experience. His expertise covers hospitality technology, digital marketing, hotel online distribution, revenue management, OTA channel management, CRM, and branding strategies.

Career and Leadership

Max was the Founder, President & CEO, and later Board Director at NextGuest in New York City.
NextGuest was the hospitality industry’s top digital consulting, CRM, and technology firm, employing over 150 professionals across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Recently, NextGuest merged with Cendyn, creating a global leader in hotel digital technology, CRM, and data-driven marketing solutions.

Entrepreneurial Journey

Over his career, Max has co-founded and led three online travel startups:

• Travelbreak.com – an OTA and online travel marketplace.

• WhaleMedia Technologies – a developer of hotel SaaS technology, including CRS and website booking engines.

• NextGuest Digital (formerly HEBS Digital) – a leading provider of DMS, CMS, CRM, and consulting services for the hospitality industry.

Visit: www.NextGuest.com

Thought Leadership and Recognition

Max is a published author and a recognized thought leader in travel technology, digital marketing, and hospitality distribution strategies.
He has received multiple industry honors, including the HSMAI “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Marketing” award.

Academic Contributions

For more than 20 semesters, Max has served as an adjunct professor at New York University’s Tisch Center for Hospitality & Tourism, teaching hospitality technology, online distribution, digital marketing, and CRM.

Industry Consulting and Expertise

For over three decades, Max has been a consultant and expert advisor to Wall Street analysts and investment bankers worldwide.
His insights cover the online travel marketplace, hospitality trends, and major players such as:

• OTAs – Booking Holdings, Expedia, Trip.com, HRS

• Bed banks – Hotelbeds

• Metasearch – TripAdvisor, Kayak, Trivago

• Platforms – Google Travel, Facebook Travel Ads, and Amazon’s travel initiatives

Education

Max holds an MS in Economics of International Tourism & Hospitality and an MBA from Fordham University, New York, where he graduated with Beta Gamma Sigma Honors.