Describe yourself in 3-5 words: Reliable, determined, dedicated, personable and adaptable.
Describe your travel style in 3-5 words: Immersive, slow-paced and flexible.
Why did you choose to study travel & tourism? My passion for hospitality started with my two grandmothers. Seeing and listening about how much love they would put into their cooking has always been my inspiration. From this, I ventured into different sides of tourism and hospitality, and learned so much about myself and about this fantastic industry.
What is your greatest professional strength? My commitment. In anything I am doing, I always commit to my highest, which translates into my results and dedication towards a task or a job, meaning I am a very reliable person.
My dream job is working for an international hotel chain company and being able to apply all the knowledge and experience I have gained throughout my life and career, developing and maintaining service standards in hospitality and tourism.
Cristiano Guedes
dos Santos
In your opinion, what’s the most exciting trend in travel right now and why? To me, slow travel, as it aligns perfectly with my own style of travel. There is nothing worse than visiting 5 countries in 5 days, like many tourism agencies used to sell. When travelling slow, you have the chance to really experience the countries and cities, and almost feel like a local.
What is one thing you can’t travel without? I could say my passport, my credit cards, phone, charger, etc. But in any travel, the most important thing is a curiosity of spirit and being open to new experiences, food and culture. This is what really drives my thirst for travelling.
How many countries have you visited? 15 countries.
Name your favourite travel experience so far: It is really hard to pick just one, but a very memorable one was visiting the Cailler chocolate factory in the Swiss Alps. The journey there includes a train ride up the mountains with the most beautiful views and, on arrival, the factory itself looks like a castle. At the entrance, the smell of chocolate is already very noticeable, and inside, such marvel happens.
What’s on your travel bucket list? First on my list would be a road trip in Tuscany, visiting wineries. But, not far after, is visiting Japan, a country so fascinating.
Name your greatest achievement so far: For me, even having a successful career for many years in my home country, making the decision to make a drastic change and moving to Canada has been such a tremendous achievement. In about one year, so many things have been accomplished, including being selected for the BSAP award.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself as a citizen of the world! I may be living in Canada, but I want to keep expanding my boundaries, developing relationships, and fostering connections around the world.
What’s the best OR worst piece of travel advice you’ve received? A piece of advice that says, “one size fits all”, when it comes to travelling. Nothing applies to everyone, and there are no fixed rules. Each person and each family has a unique travelling style, and all decisions need to be tailored and specific.
