I was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and received my whole education in my country. Very early, I decided to have a professional career in Tourism and my upper studies were focused accordingly. My professional experience in Tourism/Travel Business spans now 45 years and varied disciplines: Tour Director, Cruise Manager, Licensed Guide (Portugal), Destination Expert, Destination Management, Product Development, Itinerary Planning/Organising, Event Creator, Lecturer, Travel Photographer & Writer.
Professional Experience
LICENSED TOURIST GUIDE (PORTUGAL)
Different Portuguese and foreign travel agencies and tour operators, since 1973. Own, exclusive Lisbon walking tour (w/music through earphones): LISBOA ITALIANA XVIII-XIX (Italian Lisbon For Music Lovers, 18C-19C).
TOUR MANAGER
GATE 1 TRAVEL (USA), since 2016 (freelancer): Spain, Portugal, France and Morocco. GRAND EUROPEAN TOURS/TRAVEL (USA), 1998~2015: Iberia, Morocco. AMERICAN EXPRESS VACATIONS (USA & DSM LONDON), 1983-95: Iberia, Morocco. IMAGE TOURS, INC (USA), 2012: Iberia, Morocco. Other tour operators from USA, touring Iberia and Morocco: PERCIVAL TOURS, 1977-78; TWA/TRAVELERS, 1978-81; GLOBUS GATEWAY, 1994; INSIGHT, 1994-95, 2010; VANTAGE, 1993-94; FALCON TRAVEL, 1980-90, TWA GETAWAY, 1996-98.
LECTURER (own-built script and slide presentations)
“Portugal’s Maritime Expansion – the making of an empire” (originally commissioned by Viking Cruises), “History of Portugal and Spain”, “Iberia – Ancient Peoples, Cultural Roots”, “Portuguese Seafarers & Spanish Explorers” (originally commissioned by Uniworld), “Portuguese For Beginners”, “Port Wine – the illustrious unknown”, “The Making of the Calendar”, “A Quick Journey Through the History of Portugal”, “The Making of Spain and Portugal” and “Portugal x-rayed”.
CRUISE MANAGER
UNIWORLD (USA), 2009-16, 2019: Portugal & Spain (Douro Valley river cruises); trained for Paris & Normandy and Bordeaux. (In 2014 and 2015: world’s number one Cruise Manager in onboard cruise bookings).
TRAVEL WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER
Script author, narrator (in English) of “Portugal” videocassette, issued in 1996. Various articles on traveling and destinations (text and photos) for different tour and cruise operators.
TRAVEL ADVISOR / PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
UNIWORLD, 2009-16: product development, program/itinerary planning & set-up, lecture/presentation designer and lecturer, private services designer/developer. GRAND EUROPEAN TOURS / FAR & WIDE London’s Advisory Council member, 2001-03: representing Spain/Portugal/Morocco region. IMAGE TOURS, INC, since 2012. GRAND CIRCLE TRAVEL, 1996-99: Acting Director of Portugal, responsible for this operator’s fastest, greatest business growth in Portugal ever (1997-99).
Education
Official (Licensed/Certified) Guide (at the “Instituto Superior de Novas Profissões” College, Lisbon). Tourism & Travel Business (at the “Instituto de Novas Profissões” College, Lisbon). Tour Manager (at the “Instituto Nacional de Formação Turística” College, Lisbon). Radio Speaker/Anchorman (at the former “Emissora Nacional”/National Radio Station, today Antena 1). Certified Trainer (at NHK Institute, Lisbon, 2010). Various courses and workshops on Travel Photography, Astrophotography, History, Art and Wines. Further studies and research: Geography, History, Culture, Politics, Economics, Agriculture, Music, Gastronomy, Wines, Food & Wine Pairing, etc.
Other skills
Spoken and written languages: Portuguese, English and Castilian (all fluently); French (good). Countries visited while working: Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France, England, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Russia, USA, Brazil, P.R. of China, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines, India, Nepal, Turkey.
My ability to easily communicate and my (45-year) long and diversified professional experience have further given me the skills to be at ease in any job that implies planning/designing/setting-up/operating tours, leading people and sharing my deep knowledge about mostly, but not limited to Portugal and Spain in as varied areas as Geography, History, Culture, Politics, Economics, Social Situation, Agriculture, Music, Gastronomy, Wines, Food & Wine Pairing, etc.