Atlantida Travel: dream holidays and business trips designed in Barcelona

Pilar Vivet Casals, Executive Director of Atlantida Travel

What does Atlantida Travel specialize in?

We have three business models: Firstly, a specialist team of 12 people delivers customized business travel for small and medium-sized companies. Secondly, we offer bespoke luxury vacations for honeymooners, couples, friends and families, curated by a professional team that has worked in the field for an average of 25 years. And lastly, the Southern Cross tour operator organizes luxury trips that it markets through travel agencies throughout Spain, Europe and South America.

In which year was it founded and when did you start working in the company?

We founded Atlantida in 2002, so this year we will celebrate our 20th anniversary. There are three founders and partners involved in the day-to-day running of the company.

What do you like most about your job?

Creativity; the chance to create a trip tailored to the dreams of every client and manage the most important days in their year. The job is exciting since you feel you are traveling with each person as you create their trip around the world. I love it when customers tell me that the trip was everything they dreamed of or it fulfilled their highest expectations. Or that they are grateful for the advice and suggestions I have offered them and that they are keen for me to prepare the next one for them. Their comments enrich me and help me to keep improving.

And what do you like least?

Having to depend on third parties and situations that can’t always be controlled: flight delays, cancellations, and changing health measures during the pandemic, which meant that we also had to become health experts.

What do you think your company excels at?

In the professionalism and knowledge of the whole team. In our universe there are no stars, we are a constellation. We are highly valued by suppliers and professionals in the sector throughout the world. The contacts we have developed over the years with the owners, general managers and sales directors of most 5 star hotels around the world enable us to take care of our clients and pamper them as they deserve. The personal contact with these professionals makes us feel confident that they will treat our clients as special guests.

What is your main challenge?

To make sure that clients return happy, satisfied, and grateful for their trips. And to ensure they recommend us to their friends, family and acquaintances: this is our greatest satisfaction and our greatest challenge.

Where is your business located? Do you know why this location was chosen?

We have three offices in Barcelona and one in Sabadell. We chose these locations because we feel at home here and we have been working in Barcelona all our lives; it is where we have most contacts, and where we feel most comfortable. But our company is wherever our client needs us and we can go to wherever the client requires us.

What do you like most about the neighborhood where you work?

The center of Barcelona is vibrant as there are always things going on. We enjoy the neighborhood, the tourists, and the fact that this is the heart of the city and one of its most beautiful areas. Our office is in a welcoming part of town and is surrounded by art galleries. We feel privileged to be here.

How important is Barcelona for your company?

Although we specialize in outbound tourism, it is really great to travel around the world and find that everybody likes and is interested in Barcelona. We are proud to be located in one of the best cities in the world and in one of the best neighborhoods. We know this is the case since we have traveled all over the world. We should feel proud of our city; it is certainly as attractive as any other major city. I personally consider it to be one of the 5 best cities in the world to live and work. That is why so many people from all over the world want to come to work here.

With which city would you compare Barcelona?

It is true that when you travel around the world you see cities that have things in common, and I am sure that urban planners look for and find inspiration in other cities, but Barcelona is unique; it doesn't need to be compared to other cities.

What form of urban model should Barcelona adopt?

Barcelona is a model in its own right and we should continue to evolve. We already have the climate and the sea. We should continue to build a beautiful, sustainable, technological city that preserves the talent it has and attracts new talent. When I hand my business card attend to suppliers from all over the planet at international events, the first comments are always along the lines of: Wow Barcelona... the city I would like to live in; my favorite city; the city I want to go to; the city I want to go back to, and so on. I think this says it all; we shouldn’t try to copy any other city.

What best practices from other cities would you like Barcelona to adopt?

Although my influence in minimal, I’d like to encourage a responsible form of tourism that has a positive impact on the city. We must attract tourists to come to the city not only for our beaches and bars, but because we have so many other things to offer: culture, gastronomy, and a great climate. We must be committed to encouraging this kind of tourism and welcome 5-star international hotel chains. We need to offer a higher standard of cultural events, and promote opera, music, concerts, congresses and international fairs.

What do you ask of the Barcelona of the future?

I would like to see it recover the beauty of its streets and become the fascinating city it was a few years ago. It needs to recover its iconic locations, take care of the streets, and allow prestigious chain hotels such as Four Seasons, Rosewood and others to open up here, because if we want to have quality tourism we must have hotels of this kind. We need to approve the Hermitage once and for all if we are really committed to culture. A range of excellent museums is essential for attracting high quality tourism. I’d like to see the city progress but still preserve its authenticity.

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