Travel Next Minas: Thais Medina, CEO of Business Factory, the most sought-after tourism speaker in Brazil

With over 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and tourism, Thais Medina is currently CEO of Business Factory, an agency that works with marketing and representation for destinations and brands in the sector. Recognized as one of the most anticipated speakers at tourism fairs in Brazil, she attended another edition of Travel Next Minas, where she shared her insights on impact marketing and digital authenticity.

"I breathe marketing, leadership, and communication. For me, everything is connected and needs to work together in our daily lives," Medina stated.

A career made up of many schools

Medina's career began as an intern at Pan Americano Hotels, then moved into the press as a reporter and established herself in various areas of marketing and communications. She worked in media outlets, digital agencies—serving accounts such as Itaú and Telefónica—and also in the hotel industry, at the Blue Tree chain, where she learned the importance of caring for people and strategic management from the company's CEO, Chieko Aoki, considered by many in Brazil to be the lady of the hotel industry.

Other remarkable experiences came at Trend Operadora, under the leadership of Luís Paulo Lupa. "They were different schools: on the one hand, management and strategy; on the other, sales and results. When I founded Business Factory in 2017, I combined the best of each," Medina said.

Business Factory: marketing and representation with purpose

Founded in 2017, Business Factory has established itself as a destination marketing and representation agency. With 90% of its clients linked to tourism, the company serves hotel chains, leisure and corporate agencies, logistics companies, events, and trade shows.

"I brought to Business Factory the sum of the best lessons I've learned throughout my career. Our purpose is clear: to represent destinations and brands with strategy, proximity, and authenticity," Medina emphasized.

In parallel, the executive also works in the educational field. She teaches at the graduate program at Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Senac São Paulo, and in programs focused on marketing, leadership, and operations management.

Travel Next Minas: the ideal platform for knowledge exchange

At the third edition of the fair, Medina returned as a speaker, repeating the success of previous editions. His presentation, titled "Impact Marketing: From Invisible to Unforgettable," drew a packed audience.

"The audience in Minas Gerais is always wonderful. I talked about how to create authentic and impactful content online. Before communicating, we need to define who we want to be and who we want to talk to. Marketing isn't just about publicity: it's about connection, memory, and inspiration," said Medina.

She also emphasized that today's people want to experience something before buying it: "They need to feel what they're about to experience. That's why authenticity is key. It's no use just using stock images: we need to show who we are as entrepreneurs and influencers of our own brand."

Celebrity Speaker: From Brazil to Curaçao

Medina's recognition has transcended borders. In July of this year, she gave her first international lecture at the International Women's Forum in Curaçao, focusing on leadership for entrepreneurs.

"When you work with purpose and love, your impact expands. That's been my path," he said.

Technical content to transform businesses

In Medina's opinion, events like Travel Next Minas have stood out for offering much more than networking: they provide practical training for travel agents and trade professionals.

"What we bring here you won't learn in college or technical courses. This content is applied to the realities of tourism, because we experience these situations ourselves. This makes a difference in enabling professionals to better manage their business and serve their customers," Medina concluded.

Report and photo: Mary de Aquino.