What TravelMate does

TravelMate Intercâmbio is a Brazilian international exchange and travel agency founded in 2002 (per company history, with one source citing 2001) and headquartered in Curitiba. The company sells packaged international programs to individual consumers, primarily Brazilian students, teenagers, and young adults. Its product portfolio spans ten core program lines organized around three customer intents: studying (language courses, high school, teen camps, universities, family exchange), working abroad (Au Pair, Camp Work/Leader, Study & Work, Volunteering, Work & Travel), and ancillary services (visa processing, airline tickets, travel insurance under the TravelSafe brand, certified sworn translation under the Translaty sub-brand, and an Indica TM referral program).

The operating model is built on a franchise network of physical store units distributed across Brazilian cities, layered with direct digital sales through the company website, WhatsApp (0800 042 0888), and social channels. TravelMate holds multiple international industry certifications (BELTA, FELCA, ICEF Agency Status, IALC Premium Agent, International Au Pair Association, WYSE Travel Confederation, StudyTravel Network, British Council, IELTS, Cadastur) and maintains partnerships with educational institutions worldwide, enabling access to language schools, universities, and au pair host families across 17+ destination countries. The company's claims include 24+ years operating, 40,000+ students served, and a productized referral channel. There is no proprietary technology platform; the value proposition is human-advisory services supported by digital lead capture.

TravelMate generates revenue primarily through packaged program fees bundling tuition, accommodation, visa assistance, insurance, and pre-departure orientation, supplemented by standalone fees for visa processing, flight booking, insurance, translation, and franchise royalties. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed, though installment plans (e.g., 12x without interest) and visa service pricing (R$220-R$399) are visible. Alexandre Argenta serves as Founder and CEO; the senior team listed is predominantly content, marketing, and program specialist roles rather than technology leadership.

Name

TravelMate

Legal name

TravelMate Intercâmbio

Website

https://travelmate.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

TravelMate Intercâmbio is a Brazilian international exchange agency selling study, work, and travel programs to Brazilian students and young adults through a franchise store network plus digital channels, with add-on services for visa, flights, insurance, and certified translation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Educational Exchange Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510), Tour Operators (56152), Translation and Interpretation Services (541930)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA), Short-Term Secondary Immersion & Cultural Exchange Trips (EDAIAHAD), Au Pair Program Sponsorship & Compliance (Visa/Host Family Support) (HSAAAEAB), On-Ground Orientation, Travel, Transfers & Logistics Support (EDAIAHAL)

Keywords

• International exchange programs
• Study abroad services
• Au pair placement
• Travel agency services
• Work and travel programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Curitiba

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Exchange Program Packages: The primary revenue stream comes from packaged exchange programs that bundle language courses, accommodation, visa assistance, insurance, and travel support. Programs include High School, Teen Camps, Au Pair, Work & Travel, Study & Work, language courses, university programs, and family exchange programs.
2. Auxiliary Travel Services: Additional revenue from individual services including visa issuance processing, airline ticket booking, travel insurance (TravelSafe), and certified sworn translation (Translaty).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

TravelMate Intercâmbio is a Brazilian international exchange agency that sells packaged study, work, and travel programs abroad (language courses, high school, teen camps, universities, family exchange, Au Pair, Camp Leader, Study & Work, volunteering, Work & Travel), bundled with visa processing, airline tickets, travel insurance, and sworn translation services. Programs are delivered through a Brazil-wide franchise network complemented by digital sales via website and WhatsApp, targeting Brazilian students, teenagers, young adults, and families seeking international cultural and educational immersion.

Product overview

TravelMate Intercâmbio is a Brazilian international exchange agency operating as a unified service platform rather than a modular software product. The company offers two main product categories: exchange programs (study, work, and travel programs) and travel services (visa assistance, flights, insurance, and translations). Study programs include language courses, high school, teen camps, university degrees, and family exchanges. Work programs include Au Pair, Camp Work, Study & Work, volunteering, and Work & Travel. Service add-ons include visa issuance, airline tickets, travel insurance, certified translations, and a referral program. The company provides end-to-end support from pre-departure planning through the entire exchange experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tradução Juramentada - TravelMate Intercâmbio: Sworn translation services offered by TravelMate through translaty.travelmate.com.br

Products and services

• Cursos de Idiomas (Language Courses) Language courses abroad allowing students to study English and other languages at partner institutions worldwide.
• High School High school exchange programs for students aged 13-18 to complete secondary education at schools in Canada, USA, UK and other countries.
• Intercâmbio Teen (Teen Camps) Teen vacation exchange programs combining language courses with cultural activities and supervised travel, typically during school holidays.
• Universidades (Universities) University programs enabling students to pursue undergraduate, graduate degrees or study abroad at international institutions.
• Intercâmbio em Família (Family Exchange) Family exchange programs allowing families to host international students or travel together for cultural immersion experiences.
• Au Pair Live-in childcare exchange program where participants care for children while living with a host family, receiving language lessons and cultural immersion.
• Camp Work (Camp Leader) Work as a camp counselor or leader at summer camps in the USA and other countries, combining work experience with cultural exchange.
• Study & Work Combined study and part-time work programs allowing students to study while legally working in countries like Ireland, Australia, Canada, and Dubai.
• Voluntariado (Volunteering) Volunteering abroad programs combining community service with cultural immersion and language learning opportunities.
• Work & Travel Work and travel programs primarily for university students to work legally abroad during vacation periods, particularly popular in the USA.
• Emissão de Vistos (Visa Issuance) Visa application assistance service providing document preparation, guidance on requirements, and application support for study, work, and tourist visas.
• Passagens Aéreas (Airline Tickets) Airline ticket booking service for exchange students traveling to their study abroad destinations.
• Seguro Viagem (TravelSafe Insurance) Travel insurance coverage for international students protecting against medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel disruptions.
• Tradução Juramentada (Translaty Sworn Translation) Official certified translation services for visa applications and immigration documentation, accessible via dedicated platform at translaty.travelmate.com.br.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BELTA (Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association)coreOthersBELTA is the main Brazilian association for exchange and educational travel agencies. TravelMate holds BELTA certification which validates the agency follows quality standards, ethics, transparency, and good practices in student exchange services.
• FELCA (Federation of Education and Language Consultant)coreOthersFELCA is a federation bringing together international associations in the exchange sector. Recognition indicates TravelMate follows internationally recognized quality standards for education and language travel services.
• ICEFcoreOthersICEF provides agency verification services for the international education industry. TravelMate holds ICEF Agency Status indicating verified credibility for credential evaluation and placement services.
• IALC (International Association of Language Centres)coreOthersIALC is an international association of quality language schools. TravelMate is an IALC Premium Agent, providing access to verified network of language learning institutions worldwide.
• International Au Pair AssociationminorOthersInternational Au Pair Association sets standards for au pair program agencies. TravelMate holds certification for placing au pairs with host families internationally.
• WYSE Travel ConfederationminorOthersInternational youth and student travel organization providing network and standards for exchange agencies.
• StudyTravel NetworkminorOthersGlobal network connecting education agencies with language schools and educational institutions worldwide for placement services.
• Trebas Institute MontrealminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner in Canada offering professional programs with post-graduation work permit eligibility.
• International Educational InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTravelMate maintains partnerships with the best educational institutions worldwide, validated through industry certifications. These partnerships provide students access to quality schools, language courses, and academic programs across multiple countries.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• World Study Intercâmbio: Brazilian agency offering language, high school, au pair, and work & travel programs. Direct peer competing for the same Brazilian student segment with similar bundled service offerings.
• IE Intercâmbio: Brazilian exchange agency offering language courses, study abroad, and work programs through physical branches and digital channels. Comparable in customer demographic, product mix, and franchise-adjacent distribution model.
• Experimento Intercâmbio: Brazilian exchange agency with physical retail branches and online channels; offers language courses, high school, university, and work programs. Closely comparable to TravelMate in product mix, customer demographic, and distribution model.
• STB (Student Travel Bureau): Largest Brazilian exchange agency; offers language courses, high school, au pair, work & travel, and university programs through a national branch network. Direct competitor to TravelMate with overlapping program portfolio and franchise-style distribution in Brazil.
• Educadora Intercâmbio: Brazilian exchange agency with multi-city retail presence offering language courses, high school, au pair, and work programs. Direct peer to TravelMate in scale, geography, and product portfolio.
• CI (Cultural Immersion): Major Brazilian exchange agency offering language courses, study abroad, au pair, and work programs. Competes head-to-head with TravelMate for the same Brazilian student customer segment with similar bundled program offerings.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: Global education company with its own language schools and university pathway programs; competes with TravelMate especially on language courses and study abroad. Operates at vastly larger scale and controls more of the value chain upstream.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): International nonprofit operating work & travel (J-1 visa sponsor) and internship programs globally; competes with TravelMate on Work & Travel and internship/work placement products. As a US-based J-1 sponsor, it sits upstream of agencies like TravelMate.

Emerging players

• ISA (International Studies Abroad): US-headquartered study abroad provider offering university-level programs; competes with TravelMate's Universities product line for Brazilian students seeking US/European degree experiences, though focused on direct-enrollment rather than language and youth programs.
• Cultural Care Au Pair: Specialized au pair placement agency operating in Brazil; competes directly with TravelMate's Au Pair program for Brazilian candidates and host families, though without TravelMate's broader multi-product catalog.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/travelmatemoema
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@travelmateintercambio
• Facebookfacebook.com/travelmateintercambio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/travelmateintercambio
• Instagraminstagram.com/travelmateintercambio
• TikToktiktok.com/@travelmateintercambio

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TravelMate