Getting more familiar . .. Hélida Cristina

GETTING MORE FAMILIAR . .. HÉLIDA CRISTINA

“my whole career has been and is very much about love and passion!”

In 1983, Hélida Cristina wanted to fly. At the age of 24, she began her career as a flight attendant. She combined her work with her studies in Hotel Management and, twelve years later, she started her career in this field. It was "the starting point for a long and passionate journey", she says.

She started in the commercial area of the hotel then called Rio Internacional. She soon learned that to reach her goals she would need a good command of the product, the market and the competition. It was this insight that led her to get results and develop her career.

In 2007, when PortoBay acquired what was then Rio Internacional, Hélida was already a Commercial Manager at the hotel. In 2016, she was invited to take up the post of General Manager. "Leaving the Commercial side and moving on in the Operations was fascinating. A great transformation, marked by a lot of learning and resilience”.

As to what she likes best about hospitality, she has no doubts: "Nothing compares to the magic of earning a smile from the guest and seeing our team being praised”.

She has a fairly intense daily routine and tries to adapt to all the situations and adversities she is confronted with. In her free time, she does yoga and goes hiking. She continues to travel extensively, but her highest flights are now at the helm of PortoBay Rio de Janeiro.