Problem
Tourism offers more and more accommodations, but many experiences are still standardized and poorly connected to the identity, culture, art, and economy of the territories. The iū Hub seeks to bring travelers closer to authentic experiences, valuing the territory and creating new opportunities for businesses and local communities.
Solution
Iū creates and operates hosting experiences connected to the identity of each territory. The proposal combines accommodation, culture, art, cuisine, local products and connections with entrepreneurs in the region, creating an authentic experience for the traveler and new opportunities to generate value for the territory. The first project may work as a pilot unit, allowing the model to be validated and then replicated to other destinations.
Business model
The business model combines lodging revenue with experiences, cuisine, local products, events and partnerships with local businesses. The pilot unit will be used to validate occupancy, price, and guest behavior before expanding the model to other destinations. As an initial reference, we estimate an average ticket of approximately R$ 700 per reservation/experience, subject to validation based on destination, length of stay, accommodation category and additional services.
Market
Iū operates in the global Travel & Tourism market, which moved approximately US$ 11,6 trillions in 2025 and it should reach about US$ 12 trillions in 2026. Our initial focus is on the lodging and authentic experiences segment, starting in Brazil and with the potential to expand to other international destinations.
Competitors
The main competitors are inns and boutique hotels, experience accommodations, and platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com. com. However, iū seeks to differentiate itself by integrating lodging, culture, art, gastronomy and territorial identity into a unique experience, instead of just offering accommodation.
Competitive differentiation
Iū's differential lies in transforming lodging into a platform for territorial experiences, integrating accommodation, art, culture, cuisine, local products and connections with entrepreneurs. Instead of competing solely by price or structure, iū seeks to build a unique identity for each destination and a replicable model capable of generating value for travelers, local businesses and investors.
Entry barrier
iū intends to build competitive barriers through its own brand, curation of experiences, accumulated knowledge about each territory, network of local partners, relationships with producers and regional businesses, and a database on guest preferences and behavior. As the model is validated, these assets will form an ecosystem that is difficult to replicate quickly by new competitors.
Traction
Yes. The startup was born from an existing entrepreneurial ecosystem, with previous experience in developing brands, products, internationalization, tourism, culture and business connections. Among the assets already developed are the Etxebarri brand, export initiatives and digital presence. The hosting project is now entering the validation phase of the first pilot unit, with the objective of transforming this previous experience into a replicable model of hosting and territorial experiences.