Lacte 21: Edmar Mendoza Bull, CEO of Copastur, details multi-brand strategy, expansion in eight countries, and artificial intelligence integrated with human customer service

Lacte 21 is the leading event for the travel, events, and corporate mobility market in Latin America. At the event, Copastur reinforced its position as an integrator of complete solutions for companies seeking efficiency, technology, and close relationships.

Edmar Mendoza Bull is the second generation to lead the company, focusing on innovation, sustainability, and structured regional expansion.

Participation since the first editions.

Copastur's relationship with Lacte mirrors the event's own evolution. According to Bull, the company has participated practically since the beginning, when the event was still smaller and focused on travel managers.

The CEO emphasized that participation is not limited to the two days of the congress. The company participates in committees and discussions throughout the year, contributing to the development of the corporate travel and events market.

Technology as a means, not a replacement.

Technological innovation is one of the pillars of the current management. The company operates on an omnichannel model and relies on Azure, proprietary intelligence that runs across all systems, especially the C+ application, integrating products and brands into a single platform.

When asked about the use of artificial intelligence and the limits for preserving personal contact, Bull was direct:

"It's not that we refuse to use it. We use everything we can, but always supporting our consultant," he stated.

He emphasized that human presence is crucial, especially in critical situations.

"We already have our entire customer service structure in omnichannel, where we use artificial intelligence, but there's always human contact to resolve anything that's beyond our control," he explained.

According to the executive, 24-hour agility is crucial in cases of weather changes, flight rebookings, and emergency situations in the corporate market.

Two generations and almost five decades of history.

Copastur was founded by Bull's parents and is approaching 50 years in operation. He assumed the role of CEO in 2023, while his father - Edmar Bull - remains as president.

Recalling the beginning of the operation, Bull described a completely manual scenario. Tickets were issued on paper, there was an open air shuttle service, and a great reliance on physical agencies.

Despite the digital transformation, he observes important continuities in the business model.

"In practice, what we see is that many things have remained the same: how to get this person from one point to another in the least amount of friction possible."

When projecting the market for the coming years, the CEO considered that the pace of innovation is accelerating, but one thing is certain:

"People are not going to stop traveling, they are not going to stop valuing human contact, and they are not going to stop having this relationship between cultures."

Suppliers as a strategic link

The relationship with suppliers was another point emphasized. The company maintains an area dedicated exclusively to managing these partnerships and develops programs to strengthen collaboration.

For Bull, there is no such thing as a good or bad product, but rather one that suits the traveler's profile. The agency's role is to connect the ideal client with the right supplier, ensuring results for both sides and joint evolution, especially in technology and innovation.

Trends and changes in corporate behavior

The executive highlighted that companies are increasingly seeking integrated solutions capable of concentrating technology, travel management, events, and personalized service in a single partner.

There is also a clear resurgence in the value placed on in-person interaction, both at events and in interactions between employees. Simultaneously, there is a growing demand for more efficient, less stressful, and safer commutes.

The concept of bleisure — when professionals extend their work trips to include cultural or leisure experiences — is gaining traction and is increasingly seen as a benefit within corporate policies.

Buffy and the rise of the eSports market

Strategic diversification includes the gaming segment through Buffy, a brand focused on logistics and support for teams and fans in the eSports universe.

"When you think about esports, you imagine everyone playing from their own home, but that's not the case," he stated.

He explained that the operation involves the international deployment of Brazilian teams, technical support, accommodation, transportation, and adequate infrastructure for competitions in different countries. The initiative arose internally, from employees who identified the market's potential.

International education and immersive experiences

In the education sector, the company operates under its own brand focused on international education — Change Programs, which partners with over 80 schools abroad.

Bull highlighted that, although online learning has expanded, the in-person experience remains irreplaceable for language learning and cultural immersion. The programs also include formats geared towards families, combining study and international experience.

Consolidation of operations in eight countries.

Copastur's Latin American strategy is structured around Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

According to Bull, the model combines local partners with proprietary technology and 24-hour emergency service provided by the company's team. The structure aims to serve regionally managed companies that want standardized services and uniform quality across different countries.

After Brazil, Mexico and Colombia appear among the most relevant markets, while the other countries have shown consistent growth in recent years.

Event infrastructure and economic impact

Bull also drew attention to the need to expand convention centers in Brazil, especially for events with more than 500 or 600 participants.

He noted that tourism represents about 8% of Brazil's GDP. According to the executive, strengthening event infrastructure expands activity throughout the service sector and generates a direct impact on the regional economy.

Throughout Lacte 21, Edmar Mendoza Bull made it clear that Copastur's strategy involves a combination of family tradition, technological innovation, structured expansion, and operation in specialized niches — always with the premise of reducing friction and delivering complete solutions to the corporate traveler.

Among the brands that make up the Copastur ecosystem are Aquarela Agência, focused on events, incentives and brand experience; Goya Travel, specializing in luxury travel; Change Programs, focused on international exchange and education; Buffly, dedicated to the sports and eSports segment; as well as Copastur Lazer, the Copastur Energy division, PassForAll, CopasturCard, the SuperApp C+, and the Copastur Premia program.

Reporting and photo: Mary de Aquino.