Flavia Toldeo

I was born in Rio and I have been living here my whole life. My major at university was social communication but my entire career has focused around tourism. Form a very young age I started working for many different companies in the tourism industry from hotel receptionist to a tour guide. I have been working for Del Bianco for more than 10 years. I always work with the international clients and make sure that their stays in Rio are comfortable and exciting. I also do a lot of the commercial areas and so I get to travel around visiting clients and going to event shows. I have my share of travelling and this is the good side of my job. I am lucky enough to travel and stay in contact with clients all over the world.

What inspired you to work in travel?

I have always loved helping international people here in Brazil. Since I was a teenage when I saw someone looking lost holding a map, I couldn’t help myself, I approached and would always do my best to help. Back then they really needed maps and advice because there were no cell phones or google or anything. I also got to practice my languages. When people come to see my country, I want to make sure that people feel welcome. I want to show it off and have the best experience ever. I want to be a good host even for a stranger on the street because I know that those little touches from the locals is what makes people’s experiences special. When I started working, I always gravitated towards the tourism industry. The first job I had I was a tour guide for the big ships. When the ship comes to Rio we would have 5 to 10 passengers and there would be me and a driver of a mini bus and then I would just show them around the city. After that, I worked for a travel agency that took care of the general public selling tours and excursions. Then I was a hotel receptionist for a while. I really liked the job but the hours were not ideal. I would always have to work all weekend, it was a difficult job because of the schedule. I then moved to Del Bianco where I have stayed since.

What is special about your experiences?

Well, I believe we are special because of the service that we offer. The attention and the care that we have for the clients exceeds those of larger tourist operators. For example, the owners of the company are also the emergency contacts for our clients in Rio. We are not a huge company which means we can be very personable with our clients and create a tailor-made experience. We can get to know all of the clients that we have and I believe that this type of service that we provide is what makes the difference. We are always contactable and so our clients feel like they are in very safe and reliable hands.

What do you love most about Rio?

You know what I love most about Rio, the vibe and the energy and how casual people are (in a good way). It doesn’t matter the way that you dress your sexual preference, nothing matters, you will always feel welcome here. On the beaches at Rio you’ll see the very rich and the very poor all in the same area, but you can’t really tell who is rich or not. People are not concerned about your appearance people are concerned about you. We leave the beach in the bikinis and can go into the city just wearing that and nobody cares. You see elderly men in their 70s with just speedos on and they will just walk down the street even three blocks away from the beach. They will leave their homes in their speedos and they will head to the beach wearing only this and it is perfectly normal. Nobody will look at them and think they are crazy. No one will judge you or look at you funny. This is what I think I like the most.