Sou Mais Carioca

What Sou Mais Carioca does

Sou+Carioca (legal name; also trading as Sou Mais Carioca) is a privately held Rio de Janeiro-based tourism company founded on July 25, 2015 by three Black women — Gabriela Palma, Renata Vaz, and Aparecida Jeronymo — as a student project that formalized into a guided-tour business. The company delivers differentiated walking tours and cultural experiences across more than 150 itineraries in Rio de Janeiro, with explicit focus on areas underserved by conventional tourism operators (North Zone, West Zone, Baixada Fluminense) and on Afro-Brazilian heritage circuits including Pequena África, Cais do Valongo, and Madureira. The operational model relies on a team of 24 accredited tour guides executing in-person experiences, supported by accessible nature trails (with paved paths, railings, and braille signage) and specialized tours covering women-centered narratives, historic confectioneries, running tours, and pet-friendly offerings.

Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-based tour bookings (individual and private group), supplemented by corporate diversity and inclusion engagements for up to three hours under multi-year contracts, online workshops for tourism professionals, group trip organization to Brazilian destinations outside Rio, and affiliate commissions from partners including Hotel Ibis Centro (10% client discount), Airbnb Experiences, Hotmart e-book sales, and Multiclubes (Rio Star Ferris wheel tickets). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company website and WhatsApp for private bookings, with B2B direct sales for the corporate diversity vertical. Go-to-market is content-driven, anchored on a SEO-tagged blog, Instagram presence, and the Conectividade podcast.

The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding rounds, 13 total employees, and operates as a privately held, women-owned Brazilian entity. Strategic positioning blends social-impact narrative (Afro-centered tourism, accessibility) with traditional SMB tourism economics, and the business has expanded its surface area over time from walking tours into corporate training, digital products, and partner-led trip organization.

Name

Sou Mais Carioca

Legal name

Sou+Carioca

Website

https://soumaiscarioca.com.br

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sou+Carioca is a privately held, bootstrapped Rio de Janeiro tourism company founded in 2015 by three Black women, delivering 150+ differentiated walking tours and Afro-Brazilian heritage experiences to individual travelers, local Cariocas, and corporate diversity clients, with 24 accredited guides.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Guided Cultural Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (48711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Culture, Heritage & Arts Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group & Small-Group Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAF), Adventure & Expedition Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAC), Multi-Activity & Expedition Packages (Guided Adventure Trips) (THAJABAL)

Keywords

• Guided walking tours
• Afro brazilian tourism
• Cultural heritage tours
• Corporate diversity training
• Accessible nature trails

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio de Janeiro

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Walking Tours and Guided Experiences: Walking tours and guided cultural experiences in Rio de Janeiro, including walking tours, hiking trails, and cultural circuits. Sold as individual tour bookings or private group experiences.
2. Private Group Tours: Private tours for groups booked via WhatsApp, customized to customer preferences for destinations, group size, and schedule.
3. Corporate Diversity Training Tours: Corporate tours and immersive diversity experiences for companies, including walking tours addressing structural racism and Afro-Brazilian heritage for employee engagement.
4. Online Workshops: Online workshops for tourism professionals covering topics such as Instagram for tourism businesses, religious tourism, and how to open a travel agency.
5. Travel Organization Services: Organization of trips for groups to destinations including Petrópolis, Penedo, Vassouras, Capitólio, and Holambra.
6. Partner Product Sales: Commission from partner products including Rio Star Ferris wheel tickets and e-book sales of 50 different places to visit in Rio de Janeiro.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sou+Carioca operates a portfolio of differentiated guided walking tours and cultural experiences in Rio de Janeiro, offering more than 150 itineraries that cover neighborhoods beyond conventional attractions. Core offerings include Afro-centered heritage tours, accessible nature trails, running tours, pet-friendly tours, custom group trip organization, online workshops for tourism professionals, and corporate diversity training experiences led by a team of 24 certified guides.

Product overview

Sou+Carioca is a tourism company founded in 2015 that operates a portfolio of differentiated tour products and services in Rio de Janeiro. The core offerings include guided walking tours (Passeios Guiados) with over 150 itineraries and Afro Tourism experiences. The company also provides trip organization services, professional workshops for tourism workers, and corporate diversity training programs. Their product portfolio spans specialized tours including Running Tours, Pet-Friendly tourism, neighborhood-focused tours (Women of History, Madureira Women, Historic Confectioneries), and digital products like an e-book featuring 50 different places in Rio. The company has a team of 24 certified tour guides and operates primarily in Portuguese, with services for individual travelers and corporate clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guided Walking Tours (Passeios Guiados) Guided walking tours through Rio de Janeiro covering more than 150 differentiated itineraries, from Leme to Pontal and from the North Zone to the South Zone, designed to show visitors the city beyond Cristo Redentor, Pão de Açúcar, and Copacabana.
• Afro-Brazilian Tourism (Turismo Afro) Afro-centered guided tour experiences focusing on African heritage and Black history in Rio de Janeiro, including circuits through the Pequena África region, Largo de São Francisco da Prainha, Pedra do Sal, and Cais do Valongo.
• Trip Organization Services (Organização de Viagens) Custom travel planning and logistics organization for groups of friends and families to destinations including Petrópolis, Penedo, Vassouras, Capitólio, and Holambra.
• Online Workshops for Tourism Professionals Online educational workshops inviting renowned tourism professionals to share expertise on topics such as Instagram for tourism businesses, road excursions, religious tourism, and how to open a travel agency.
• E-book: 50 Different Places to Visit in Rio de Janeiro Digital guidebook featuring 50 different places to visit in Rio de Janeiro, covering areas from the North Zone to Baixada Fluminense and highlighting non-touristy locations beyond Copacabana, sold via Hotmart.
• Running Tour Cultural running tours combining street running with guided exploration of Rio de Janeiro, following a modality practiced globally by over 200 organizations.
• Pet-Friendly Tourism (Turismo Pet Friendly) Pet-friendly tourism experiences developed in partnership with Cãomigo, combining pet-friendly activities with cultural and historical content about Rio de Janeiro.
• Tour Mulheres de Madureira Guided tour in the Madureira neighborhood focused on women-centered narratives and Afro-referenced storytelling.
• Tour Mulheres da História Historical tour highlighting women's contributions to the history of Rio de Janeiro.
• Tour Doces Histórias Cultural tour of historic confectioneries in Rio de Janeiro's city center, exploring the city's pastry heritage.
• Corporate Immersive Diversity Experience (Diversidade Imersiva para Empresas) Immersive corporate diversity training delivered through guided walking tours of Rio's African heritage circuit, addressing structural racism and Afro-Brazilian heritage for employee engagement, conducted by certified tourism guides and typically contracted on a multi-year basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 150 different tour routes available since 2015
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brafrika ViagenscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAn Afro-tourism agency with trips to places with strong ancestral African history. Open to all regardless of race, gender, or orientation. Tous have something to gain when learning more about the history of African peoples that constitute Brazil.
• Bitonga TravelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCreated by Rebecca Alethéia, the project opens paths for visibility of Black women around the world. Shares stories of traveling Black women collaboratively to empower girls and women.
• Hotel Ibis CentrominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocated in the heart of Rio's downtown, Sou+Carioca clients receive 10% discount on consumption and accommodation. Single room: R$ 172 + 5%, Double room: R$ 192 + 5% including breakfast.
• Nictheroy OmniTourminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBike tour partner in Niterói, offering bike rides along the entire Niterói waterfront from Estação Araribóia to Praia de Charitas, with sunset views.
• VAMOS AgencyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWomen-led experiences and tourism agency with highlighted routes including the waterfall circuit of Floresta da Tijuca starting at Horto.
• Guia NegrocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by Guilherme Soares with Afro-centered routes in São Paulo, Bahia, Maranhão, and operates the Pequena África Tour in Rio de Janeiro. Independent content production on travel, Black culture, and afrotourism.
• CãomigominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPet-friendly tourism company partnering for pet-friendly tours in Rio de Janeiro, combining pet activities with learning about the city's history.
• Airbnb (Affiliate)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate partner for experiences including Ilha da Gigóia tours and Cachoeiras do Horto circuits.
• Hotmart (E-book)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigital product platform for Sou+Carioca's e-book '50 Different Places to Visit in Rio de Janeiro'.
• Multiclubes (Rio Star)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicket distribution partner for Rio Star Ferris wheel, the giant observation wheel in Rio de Janeiro.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Strawberry Tours: Free walking tour operator active across European and Latin American cities, including Brazil. Direct competitor for the price-sensitive walking-tour segment in Rio.
• Guia Negro: Afro-centered tour operator led by Guilherme Soares running guided routes in Rio (Pequena África), São Paulo, Bahia, and Maranhão. Comparable in mission, audience, and product format to Sou+Carioca's Afro-tourism line.
• Context Travel: Premium small-group cultural walking tour operator with scholar-led narratives. Highly comparable to Sou+Carioca's culture-and-heritage walking tour positioning, including private group bookings.
• Brafrika Viagens: Brazilian Afro-tourism travel agency offering heritage and ancestral-history travel packages. Most directly comparable to Sou+Carioca's Afro-centered tourism product and is an active channel partner.
• VAMOS Agency: Women-led Brazilian experiences and tourism agency focused on Floresta da Tijuca waterfall circuits. Operates overlapping nature/women-centered itineraries in the same Rio geography and is an active partner.
• Bitonga Travel: Travel platform amplifying Black women travelers' stories. Overlaps with Sou+Carioca's audience and Afro-heritage mission and is a listed distribution partner.

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb Experiences: Airbnb's hosted experiences product, already an affiliate partner for Sou+Carioca. Competes directly for booking share and offers discoverability that a single-city operator must compete against.
• GetYourGuide: Major global experience-booking platform with significant Rio de Janeiro walking-tour inventory. Competes for the same tourist demand and aggregates independent guides into a standardized funnel.
• ToursByLocals: Global marketplace connecting travelers with private local guides. Closely comparable business model (private, guide-led, city-specific tours) but at global scale, including Rio de Janeiro coverage.

Regional players

• Tangol: Established Brazilian tour operator offering city tours, excursions, and transfers. Comparable destination-management and tour-packaging services in the same Brazilian geography, with broader (non-walking) scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sou-mais-carioca

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 Sou Mais Carioca