Cristiano Guedes dos Santos
- 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.
- What’s your dream travel & tourism job?
- 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!
- 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.
Food & Beverage Management
George Brown College