How One Seaport Entrepreneur Is Redefining the Boston ...

Maria Chen stands in her modest office on Atlantic Avenue, scanning booking requests that have tripled since January. Her company, Compass Boston, has quietly become one of the city's fastest-growing tourism intermediaries—and she's doing it by rejecting the conventional tour bus model entirely.

"Most visitors come here with a checklist," Chen explains, gesturing toward her wall of Faneuil Hall and Freedom Trail postcards. "They see the Prudential Center, grab lunch at the Union Oyster House, and leave. We're trying to change that narrative."

Since launching Compass Boston in 2023 from a co-working space in the Seaport District, Chen has built a portfolio of curated experiences that connect tourists with local artisans, neighborhood restaurants, and cultural institutions beyond the downtown core. Her team arranges everything from early-access gallery tours at the Institute of Contemporary Art to private cooking classes in the Leather District taught by immigrant entrepreneurs who rarely appear in mainstream guidebooks.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Compass Boston processed over 2,100 bookings last year, generating roughly $850,000 in revenue. According to the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, the city welcomed 26.3 million visitors in 2024, but only a fraction ventured beyond traditional hotspots. Chen's model targets that gap.

Her pricing strategy—typically $180 to $400 per person for half-day experiences—positions her above budget tours but below five-star concierge services. This sweet spot has attracted families, corporate retreat planners, and international visitors seeking authenticity. Her most popular offering, "Hidden Neighborhoods," guides small groups through Jamaica Plain and Roxbury's murals, independent bookstores, and community-driven enterprises.

Chen's background in hospitality—she previously managed guest relations for a downtown hotel chain—informed her approach. "I realized the hotel concierge desk was overwhelmed," she recalls. "There was an opportunity to build something more thoughtful."

The pandemic nearly derailed her startup, but federal relief funding and a pivot toward hybrid virtual-plus-in-person tours kept operations afloat. Today, Compass Boston employs eight full-time staff and contracts with over thirty local guides and service providers.

As Boston's visitor economy continues recovering—the Bureau projects 27 million visitors this year—entrepreneurs like Chen are reshaping how the city monetizes tourism. Rather than competing with established players, she's expanding the pie by deepening visitor engagement and directing spending toward underrepresented neighborhoods and small businesses.

"Tourism can feel extractive," Chen says. "We're trying to make it generative."

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