By* BRAZTOA (Associação Brasileira das Operadoras de Turismo)
The work of tour operators goes far beyond promoting, distributing, and marketing destinations. And not that this is insignificant — quite the opposite. This function holds immense value, both in terms of numbers and reach: in 2023 alone, BRAZTOA members accounted for over 11.8 million departures. They connected destinations and the world to thousands of travellers, delivered dreams, created memories, and brought the world to millions of Brazilians.
This ability to promote, market and distribute is widely recognised within the sector. But what we want to highlight here is another side, often less noticed, but equally strategic: the role of tour operators in building and structuring tourism products.
Tour operators are like true master chefs: they combine knowledge, technique, dedication, and a certain “flair” to select the right ingredients and create unique and memorable experiences. They know when to enhance a local flavour, soften excesses, balance elements and deliver something that truly enchants.
The gastronomic metaphor is no coincidence: just like the best dishes arise from a blend of repertoire, refined technique and sensitivity, the most remarkable journeys result from a careful process of co-creation, planning and connection with the territory.
Tour operators are key players in this process. They are specialists in transforming places into unforgettable destinations and trips into incredible experiences.
1. The secret ingredient: market and territorial knowledge: Tour operators know the destinations in depth. They maintain a constant relationship with them through training, technical visits, participation in trade fairs and immersion programmes. This real-life experience is combined with a practical market outlook and field knowledge, which enables careful and responsible curation, considering the real demands of travellers, market trends, and above all, the potential and limitations of each place. Identifying what truly has tourism value, what can be enhanced, knowing what to include, what to leave out and how to compose a balanced experience is the result of much listening, experience and accumulated know-how over time.
2. Co-creation with destinations: when experience becomes value: Tour operators also bring a powerful ingredient to contribute to destinations: the repertoire of those who have seen, lived, and sold a lot. With a vast repertoire, acquired over years operating in Brazil and abroad, tour operators have a unique and valuable perspective. They compare, analyse and apply this knowledge in curating what will (or won’t) become a tourism product. They’ve seen models that worked (and others that didn’t), they understand what is emerging, what inspires and what attracts the contemporary traveller. This makes the development process faster, more qualified and aligned with real demand.
This experience is powerful. It enables them to act as strategic partners of destinations, providing market knowledge, creating insights and helping to build or redesign tourism products with identity, purpose and commercial appeal.
3. Making it marketable is part of the development: Developing a tourist destination is not only about activating its vocation or improving its attractions. It’s also about thinking how it connects to the market. Creating a good experience is not enough — it must be accessible, communicable and, above all, marketable.
Tour operators have the expertise to transform local experiences into structured tourism products, with format, narrative, pricing and distribution suited to different traveller profiles. This ability to “translate” the territory for the market is a vital bridge for sustainable development and access to new audiences. Often, it is this perspective that takes an attraction out of obscurity and turns it into a true travel reason — transforming experiences into consistent and desirable tourism products.
Being involved from the beginning allows for the creation of more marketable products that respect local essence and have appeal to the right audience.
4. Development with real access: Tour operators are, at the same time, specialists and marketing channels. This means their strategic role can also ensure that the destination reaches the right channels, on the right shelf, to the right audience.
Working together with them ensures that destination development already begins with market access and scale potential — respecting the timing, identity and local capacity of each territory.
5. A partnership that drives progress: BRAZTOA’s work, through programmes such as the Braztoa Academy of Excellence, reinforces this transformative role of tour operators. By promoting training, mentoring, sharing of good practices and actions to bring destinations closer to the market, the organisation strengthens the relationship between market and territory, contributing to the development of supply and expanding market access.
More than just training and informing, the Academy brings a market perspective, highlights trends, provokes reflection and invites local professionals to think about their territories with a focus on enchantment and sustainability. After all, incredible experiences are born from the combination of local identity and market expertise — and in this, tour operators are masters.
Creating unforgettable destinations is not a matter of luck — it is the result of technique, sensitivity, market vision and, above all, collaborative work. Just like a great chef needs to know their ingredients well, those who structure tourism experiences need to understand deeply the territory, its potential and its limits.
Tour operators are these specialists. They combine practical knowledge, global repertoire and a keen ear for the traveller. They know how to transform good products into great experiences and promising destinations into market references.
Strengthening the role of tour operators in this process is paving the way for a more qualified tourism industry, connected with the market and with the expectations of travellers. It is recognising that behind every unforgettable experience, there is a technical and creative effort that deserves visibility, respect, and room to operate with even greater impact.
Because in tourism, just like in gastronomy, what truly leaves a mark is what awakens all the senses, crafted with soul, knowledge, and intention. And in this, tour operators are true masters.