Activity International

What Activity International does

Activity International BV is a privately held Dutch travel agency founded in 1988 and headquartered in Enschede, Netherlands, that organizes international experiential travel programs for Dutch and Belgian youth aged roughly 15 to 30. Its portfolio spans volunteer work abroad, backpacking, high school exchange, au pair placement in the United States and Australia, wildlife and nature conservation projects, gap year packages, summer camps, and CV building plus internships, delivered as pre-packaged trips across more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.

The company operates as a direct-to-consumer intermediary: customers reach it through the company website, phone, WhatsApp, email, and in-person appointments at the Enschede office, while referral demand is generated via school counselors and parents. Core trip logistics (host family matching, volunteer placements, accommodation, on-ground guides, visas, insurance) are executed through long-standing partners including Au Pair in America, AIFS in Australia, and All Out Africa in eSwatini, supplemented by vetted local partner organizations in each destination.

Revenue is generated primarily from one-time packaged trip sales (priced between roughly €1,350 for a 2-week Nepal expedition and €4,650 for a 12-week Kruger to Coast itinerary) and from au pair placement fees (€750 for Australia; the U.S. program is fee-free to Activity International with €400 paid directly to Au Pair in America). Ancillary revenue comes from travel and cancellation insurance add-ons. The company is a member of VZR Garant and Calamiteitenfonds Reizen, the mandatory Dutch consumer-protection funds, and is led by co-owners Barry Harzevoort and Luuk Heitkamp with a small team of approximately 10 employees.

Name

Activity International

Legal name

Activity International BV

Website

https://activityinternational.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Activity International BV is a Dutch travel agency founded in 1988 that books gap year, volunteer, au pair, high school, and wildlife programs for Dutch and Belgian youth aged 15–30 across 20+ countries, operating with about 10 employees from Enschede.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Travel Agencies (56151)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Service Learning, Volunteer & Community Engagement Trips (THAKAGAF)

Keywords

• Youth travel programs
• Gap year travel
• Volunteer travel
• Au pair placement
• Cultural exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Enschede

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Package Travel Sales: Revenue generated from selling complete travel packages to customers, including group trips, volunteer programs, kickstart expeditions, and combination travel products. Packages are priced as all-inclusive trips (e.g., €1,350 for 2-week Nepal expedition, €2,550 for 4-week Sri Lanka kickstart, €2,850–€4,650 for 4–12 week Kruger to Coast). Revenue is one-time per trip, with optional add-ons.
2. Au Pair Program Placement Fees: Revenue from placing au pairs with host families in Australia (€750 program fee). In the USA program, no fee is charged to participants but placement/administration fees (€400) are paid directly to the partner organization Au Pair in America. The company acts as an intermediary, earning margin on program coordination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Activity International is a Dutch travel agency that organizes and sells all-inclusive international travel programs for young people aged 15–30, including group trips, volunteer work placements, au pair programs, wildlife conservation projects, high school exchanges, and gap year packages across more than 20 countries. The company acts as an intermediary between Dutch and Belgian youth and vetted local partner organizations in each destination, providing pre-packaged logistics, accommodation, host family matching, and on-ground support. It also sells travel insurance and cancellation insurance as ancillary products to support the core travel packages.

Product overview

Activity International is a travel organization specializing in international experiences for young people, primarily offering gap year programs, volunteer work, and cultural exchange opportunities. The product portfolio includes core offerings such as Vrijwilligerswerk (volunteer work abroad), Backpacken (backpacking trips), Highschool programs, Au Pair programs in America and Australia, Wildlife/Natuurprojecten (wildlife conservation), Tussenjaar (gap year packages), Summercamp, and CV Building & Internships. Supporting services include travel insurance products (Reisverzekering with Special ISIS coverage) and cancellation insurance. The company also operates branded trip programs including the Kruger to Coast (South Africa/Swaziland/Mozambique), Kickstart Sri Lanka (volunteer work + surfing + tour), Nepal Kickstart Expeditie, and specialized Au Pair in Amerika and Au Pair in Australië placement programs through partner organizations Au Pair in America and AIFS respectively.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vrijwilligerswerk (Volunteer Work Abroad) Structured volunteer placements abroad for young Dutch and Belgian travelers in community projects, education support, and conservation efforts across destinations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Sold as all-inclusive packages covering logistics, accommodation, local partners, and on-ground support.
• Backpacken (Backpacking Programs) Guided and independent backpacking travel programs for young people, often combined with gap year experiences across multiple destinations worldwide.
• Highschool Abroad High school exchange programs allowing students to attend secondary school in countries including the USA and New Zealand for a semester or full year.
• Au Pair Programma (Au Pair Program) Au pair placement programs in America and Australia, facilitating cultural exchange by placing participants with host families for childcare in exchange for accommodation, pocket money, and course contributions.
• Wildlife en Natuurprojecten (Wildlife and Conservation Projects) Wildlife conservation and nature protection projects in Africa and Asia, including animal care, habitat restoration, and anti-poaching initiatives, sold as structured placement packages.
• Tussenjaar (Gap Year Programs) Structured or flexible gap year programs combining volunteer work, travel, language learning, and cultural immersion experiences abroad for young people between secondary school and higher education or work.
• Summercamp Summer camp programs abroad for young participants combining adventure activities with cultural experiences.
• CV Building & Internships Career development programs combining CV building workshops with international internship opportunities for professional experience abroad.
• Kruger to Coast Group safari and volunteer travel program (4 to 12 weeks) visiting South Africa, Swaziland (eSwatini), and Mozambique, combining wildlife spotting, community volunteer work, and beach relaxation. Priced between €2,850 (4 weeks) and €4,650 (12 weeks).
• Kickstart Sri Lanka Four-week group adventure combining 2 weeks of volunteer work (childcare, turtle conservation, dog shelter), 1 week of surfing and yoga, and 1 week highlights tour covering Yala National Park, Ella, Kandy, and Sigiriya. Priced at €2,550.
• Au Pair in Amerika 12-month au pair program in the United States through partner Au Pair in America, including 3-day New York orientation, childcare responsibilities, college courses, and community counselor support. No program fee is charged by Activity International; participants pay €400 placement/administration fee directly to the partner.
• Au Pair in Australië Six to 12-month au pair program in Australia through partner AIFS, including 5-day Sydney arrival package with orientation and hostel accommodation, placement with verified host families. Priced at €750 per participant.
• Nepal Kickstart Expeditie Two-week adventure expedition combining Kathmandu sightseeing, Chitwan National Park safari, Pokhara lakes exploration, and one week of volunteer work with children, elderly care, or school maintenance. Priced at €1,350, with optional extra weeks at €200.
• Reisverzekering (Travel Insurance) Travel insurance products including the Special ISIS Reisverzekering, cancellation insurance, and travel insurance for Belgian customers, available 24/7, sold as add-ons to travel programs.

Named customers9 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Au Pair in America (APIA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAu Pair in America is the exclusive partner for placing au pairs with American host families. APIA is the first organization designated by the US State Department to run a legally approved au pair program and is part of AIFS. Activity International has worked with APIA since the company's origin in 1988, referring Dutch and Belgian candidates for au pair placements in the USA. APIA handles host family matching, orientation in New York, community counselor assignment, and ongoing support in the USA.
• AIFS (American Institute for Foreign Study)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAIFS is the parent organization of Au Pair in America and the partner for the Au Pair in Australia program. In Australia, AIFS handles host family placement, arrival orientation in Sydney, community counseling, and ongoing support for Dutch au pairs. AIFS has decades of experience in cultural exchange programs and meets all quality standards set by local governments.
• All Out AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Out Africa is the local partner organization in eSwatini (Swaziland) for the Kruger to Coast and Kruger to Cape group trips. They are a professional travel organization based in eSwatini offering trips across Swaziland, South Africa, and Mozambique since 2004, specifically aimed at travelers aged 16–30. All Out Africa manages local logistics, volunteer project placement, accommodation, and on-ground guides for Activity International's African group programs.
• Local partner organizations (Sri Lanka, Nepal, Zambia, and other destinations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActivity International works with vetted local partner organizations in each destination country (Sri Lanka, Nepal, Zambia, Thailand, and others) to deliver volunteer projects, local guides, accommodation, and on-ground support. Each partner is selected for alignment with Activity International's values around service, sustainability, and quality. Local partners provide the operational infrastructure for volunteer placements and excursion logistics.
• VZR Garant (Guarantee Fund)coreOthersVZR Garant is the official Dutch travel guarantee fund to which Activity International is affiliated. It provides consumer protection ensuring that customers receive refunds if the company fails to deliver paid travel services.
• Calamiteitenfonds Reizen (Travel Emergency Fund)coreOthersCalamiteitenfonds Reizen is the Dutch travel emergency fund providing additional consumer protection for Activity International customers, covering exceptional circumstances during travel.
• UNICEF (indirect endorsement)minorOthersThe Neighbourhood Care Point (NCP) projects in Swaziland that Activity International volunteers support are aligned with UNICEF guidelines. UNICEF has endorsed the NCP concept as a way to keep children integrated in their local community. This is an indirect association rather than a formal partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IVHQ (International Volunteer HQ): Large-scale international volunteer placement platform operating in 40+ destinations. Comparable in core volunteer-travel offering, but with a more digital-led, lower-touch service model than Activity International's high-touch agency approach.
• Plan My Gap Year: UK-headquartered gap year and volunteer travel provider with a Dutch sub-site, offering structured volunteer placements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America — directly overlapping with Activity International's product portfolio.
• Simi Reizen: Dutch youth travel agency offering group trips, volunteering, and cultural exchanges for Dutch and Belgian students. Directly comparable on customer segment (15-30 year olds) and gap-year product focus.
• Travel Active: Dutch travel agency specializing in gap year, volunteer work, au pair, and internships for young people. Most direct comparable in terms of target market, product mix, and Dutch-language operating model.
• World Challenge: UK-based provider of school expeditions, volunteer trips, and adventure travel for 15-18 year olds. Comparable product (group expeditions with volunteer components) and adjacent target market (school and youth), though UK-centric.
• Camps International: International school expedition and volunteer travel operator running programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America for school groups and youth. Overlaps with Activity International's multi-week group expeditions and volunteer placements.
• Projects Abroad: Global volunteer and internship placement organization with a Dutch-language site serving the same Dutch/Belgian youth segment for volunteer abroad, conservation, and gap year placements.

Regional players

• The Leap (formerly Gap 360): UK-focused gap year provider offering volunteer, conservation, and adventure programs. Comparable in product and youth segment but primarily serves UK rather than Dutch/Belgian customers.

Broad incumbents

• AIFS (American Institute for Foreign Study): Parent organization of Activity International's core partner Au Pair in America and partner for Au Pair Australia. AIFS operates a much broader cultural exchange and study abroad portfolio; comparable as an established incumbent in the same au pair/cultural exchange space.

Others

• Stichting Tussenjaar: Dutch knowledge center and advocacy body for gap year experiences. Not a direct competitor but an ecosystem participant that influences Dutch parent and student awareness of gap year options — including Activity International's offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ActivityInt
• Facebookfacebook.com/ActivityInternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/activity-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/activityinternational

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Activity International