Carolina Perez Founder

Carolina was born an explorer, sharing the travel spirit with her mother Teresa – her inspiration and with whom she worked side by side for 16 years at Teresa Perez Tours in São Paulo.
Carolina set off solo in 2009 when she founded Travelweek Sao Paulo and some years later it was acquired by Reed Exhibitions and rebranded ILTM Latim America.

After a sabbatical period, she was ready to start a new venture. In 2016 in Verona, profoundly inspired by the opera Nabucco from Giuseppe Verdi, Carolina came up with DUCO Italy.
DUCO was born aiming to uncover the beauty of Italy and its traditions.
A destination oriented event focused on the high end travels, in a boutique format.

Along the past 7 years DUCO’s distinctive format caused a very positive impact in the upscale tourism in Italy.

In 2021, DUCO expanded by launching DUCO France. Now in its fourth year, the summit continues to celebrate the excellence of French hospitality, gathering the best hoteliers and suppliers from all regions of France. Hosted in Paris, this unique invitation-only event offers a deep cultural immersion. Attendees experience the charm of France through a five-day event filled with connections, inspired by the French lifestyle, in Paris.

The latest addition to the portfolio is DUCO Spain & Portugal, set to debut in 2025 in Marbella, Spain. This expansion reflects Carolina's commitment to exploring new frontiers in high-end travel.

Carolina is committed to another project close to her heart: The Hotel Queen. A social media profile where she enjoys sharing fun and curated travel content through her unique perspective and personal experiences.

Born and raised in São Paulo, Carolina is a world traveler and a dual Brazilian-Italian citizen. She takes great joy in creating and contributing to tourism in Italy France, and now, Spain & Portugal.

Carolina lives in Lisbon, enjoys family time cycling and being by the ocean and in the mountains with her husband, daughter, son, and three stepchildren.

Camila Mendes Vice President

Camila's journey in the tourism industry began during her studies in Communication and Advertising. Starting as a Marketing intern at Teresa Perez Tours, she discovered her passion for event planning through various projects, including crafting special dinners, scenography projects for Daslu store corner for the agency, and the launch of the 1st coffee table book with a top player editor, DBA, and its distribution to major bookstores in Brazil.

Her career progressed to Travelweek Sao Paulo, a venture led by Carolina, where she played a significant role for five years before its acquisition by Reed Exhibitions. At ILTM events portfolio, Camila enhanced her practical knowledge and expanded her activities to include organizing international events.

In March 2019, Camila reunited with Carolina at DUCO. Known for her methodical approach and leadership style, Camila prefers to lead from behind the scenes. Her strategic insights and dedication have played a key role in the company's portfolio growth.

Flavia Brutti Communications Director

Inspired by her passion for travelling, meeting people, sharing experiences and cultures, Flavia moved her first steps in hospitality back in 2007 when she starts working for the Bulgari Hotel Milano, right after having graduated Summa Cum Laude in Foreign Languages at Universita' degli Studi di Milano.

Fluent in English, German, Spanish and of course Italian, Flavia soon understood that her love for people, foreign languages and glamour, as well as her natural attitude for attention to details, could have been all well integrated in luxury hospitality, a world which completely fascinates her and allows her to maintain a strong bond with her mother country, Italy, while exploring and understanding international markets in an ever changing political and economical scenario.

Flavia proudly joins the team at DUCO as Communications Director, working in synergy with the team of passionate hospitality ladies, promoting some of the world's most exclusive hotels and locations and connecting them with the best luxury travel operators.

Ana Cucci Commercial Director

Duna Della Santa Exhibitor Relations

Born just a few meters from the sea, in a small fisherman´s village in the northeast of Brazil, she spent her first year barefoot and making sand castles on the beach. What inspired her parents to name her “Duna” were the infinite sand dunes that surrounded them.

Half Brazilian, half American, Duna lived in Sao Paulo most of her life, and her love for travelling and hospitality instigated her to get a degree in hotel management.

After working for many years with events at a Brazilian-Italian family’s hotel brand, she decided to fulfill her life-long dream and travelled to Florence, where she lived for almost 03 years working with tourism.

Back in São Paulo, Duna's aspiration to keep a close contact with the Italian and different European cultures and languages are what brought her to DUCO.

During her free time, you will probably find Duna sunbathing at the beach, reading a book, out dancing with her friends, or researching maps in a quest to find new cultures and places on the globe to visit.

Heitor Menotti Exhibitor Relations

Born in Rio de Janeiro and raised in São Paulo, Heitor takes pride in blending the lifestyles of these two vastly different cities into his daily routine. While he cherishes the simple pleasures of strolling along the beach and sharing a beer with friends, he also thrives on the cosmopolitan energy of urban life, where he can indulge in the latest movie releases and remain close to his family. He is committed to crafting new memories during his travels or simply relishing pleasant afternoons over lunch.

With over 20 years of experience in the hotel industry, including the last 12 years spent with two of São Paulo's most renowned boutique brands, Heitor brings his energy, joy, and passion for travel and hospitality to DUCO's Exhibitor Relations Team, poised to engage with a fresh set of clients and partners.

For Heitor, the most precious gift one can offer is time and attention. Whether during leisurely moments or business engagements, he treasures authentic connections. And if you wish to capture a special place in his heart, extend an invitation for a meal or offer him the larger slice of cake.

Eriberto Sousa Exhibitor Relations & Administrative

The son and grandson of farmers, Eriberto always dreamed of making the most of life in bustling urban centers.

For the past 10 years, he has called São Paulo home, where he honed his market skills in sales and product management at Teresa Perez Tours before joining DUCO. Balancing his professional endeavors in the high-end travel niche with doctoral studies at the University of São Paulo, his dissertation focuses on how hotels, DMCs, and destinations can enhance their brand awareness through a multisensory approach.

In his leisure time, he enjoys trying new vegetarian recipes and never misses an opportunity to savor ice-cold craft beers. If you're interested in surprising Eriberto, just take him to bars or restaurants that are real hidden gems in town.

Cíntia Kobayashi Exhibitor Relations Administrative

As a third-generation Brazilian of Japanese descent, Cíntia was born and raised in São Paulo. Discovering the secrets of the chessboard by the age of 12, she began traveling around São Paulo and Brazil's countryside to participate in tournaments, awakening her interest in exploring new places and cultures.

This passion led her to pursue a bachelor's degree in leisure and tourism, accumulating over 10 years of experience in the industry. Along her career path, her international exchange in Canada stands out as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that allowed her to study and work in a multicultural environment, broadening her horizons even further.

Her career has been multifaceted, including experiences in hospitality at a renowned boutique hotel, handling international products and connectivity at a major tour operator, and gaining a unique perspective on exploring the seven seas and continents while working in the Cruises and Trains department at Teresa Perez Tours.

During her free time, Cíntia is a genuine food lover, often exploring new restaurants and bars with loved ones. Travel remains a constant in her life, whether immersing herself in breathtaking natural destinations surrounded by mountains and the sea or exploring the most cosmopolitan cities.

Catarina Perez Exhibitor Relations Intern

Born in São Paulo, Catarina's journey began amidst the lively streets of Brazil. Growing up between Rio de Janeiro and Lisbon, she developed a strong wanderlust from an early age.

Raised in a family of adventurers, her childhood was filled with tales of exploration. Whether exploring São Paulo or soaking up the sun in Rio, she gained a deep appreciation for different cultures.

Her travels sparked a love for music and art, especially beachside tunes. This adventurous spirit eventually led her to Milan, where she now studies graphic design and art direction. With DUCO by her side, she eagerly looks forward to exploring Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, blending her passions for art, music, and adventure.

Milena Calzoni Buyer Relations Manager

The travel bug bit Milena early. As a kid, she spent her holidays traveling to Italy and United States to visit relatives. Not surprisingly, she decided to study Hospitality Management in college. Since then, she had had fantastic experiences working on the luxury travel market, from international hotel chains to a French OTA.

Milena lived in 9 different countries and speaks 5 languages - currently on a mission to learn her 6th language! You can really say she is a citizen of the world.

She's all about nature walks, snapping pics, diving into books, and trying tasty treats from everywhere! Exploring new places? That's her jam! Plus, she's a total people person, love spending time with her friends and family, cherishing every moment spent with her beloved little ones.

A Brazilian living in Barcelona, Milena assists DUCO in selecting the top travel advisors to attend the summit.

Rafaela Branco Buyer Relations

Rafaela has always loved traveling, and indulging in breakfast at various hotel restaurants was her passion! She decided to study Tourism & Hospitality with the intention of exploring different places and understanding how hotels operate. She began her career at the front desk and later transitioned to the commercial sector at both Marriott and Hilton hotel chains. There, she supported the international sales team in targeting Brazilians abroad. Learning from diverse cultures and practicing responsible tourism are her personal goals.

During her free time, she enjoys listening to music, taking walks in the park, and immersing herself in nature.

Rafaela collaborates with Milena Calzoni in selecting top Buyers to attend DUCO events.

Natália Schwarz Marketing Manager

Born and raised in a small town in the Brazilian countryside, Natália got the travel bug when she was quite young, influenced by her parents who didn’t miss a chance to hit the road.

These unique childhood experiences inspired her to get a degree in Tourism. Inside her luggage, you will now find 10+ years of experience in luxury hospitality, acquired while working as a travel agent and designing the most incredible journeys for her clients.

As a citizen of the world, she loves nature and is always up for an adventure! Fun fact: she collects lots of sunset photographs (her favorite time of the day) from her travels all over the world.

Lisieux Baccaro Marketing

Growing up in the countryside of Brazil, Lisieux always wanted to live and travel to different places. After finishing her post-graduation in her hometown, she decided to start a little adventure and moved to Bahia, and from there, she never stopped moving. She spent some years in Rome, Sicily, São Paulo, and finally found another home in Lisbon.

Lisieux worked for more than 14 years as a travel designer in the industry, always dedicated to high-end customers, before joining DUCO Travel Summit as a part of the Marketing Team, a passion she discovered during her many summits, travels, and the people she had the pleasure to meet in all this time.

She is a swimmer, a great fan of movies, soundtracks, concerts, airports, and her daughter, who is currently living in Italy, which makes her travel to Rome as much as possible.

Maria Eugênia Clemente Social Media

With a profound appreciation for culture, Maria Eugenia is a seasoned communicator specializing in crafting purpose-driven projects from inception. At a design furniture gallery, renowned for its modern and contemporary handcrafted furniture, Maria Eugenia orchestrated a 10% annual audience growth on digital platforms while positioning the brand as a global ambassador for Brazilian design.

Prior to this, she excelled as a Product Manager at high-end DMC, curating luxury travel experiences across Brazil and earning recognition for excellence. Entrepreneurial by nature, Maria Eugenia also founded a boutique stationary enterprise, and an art and philosophy Instagram account before delving into communication and management studies. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, she brings a global perspective, redefining standards and fostering cultural exchange through creativity and communication.

Maria Eugenia joins DUCO with a keen eye for digital media, and is excited to contribute to our online presence, integrating and involving their audience in DUCO’s inspiring and vast universe.

Clara Ruiz Social Media

Lucilene Neves Finance Director

Born and raised in the vibrant São Paulo, carrying the warm Brazilian soul and a big smile on her face.

Lucilene has a brilliant background in Accounting and MBA in business management, using numbers and spreadsheets to develop prosperous businesses.

For 10 years as a Finance Consultant, she made a great career. After living in the US for a while she decided to make a bold move and joined the high-end tourism industry working for Travelweek Sao Paulo, then as Finance Manager of the Luxury portfolio at ILTM Reed Exhibitions for more than six years.

Nowadays, Lucilene is DUCO's Finance Director and her purpose of life is to make meaningful changes in people's life and travel the world!

Vanessa Kitamura Administrative

Vanessa is Sansei, a third-gereration Brazilian of Japanese descent, with a rich cultural background that deeply influences her passion for travel. At the age of seven, her visit to Japan ignited her curiosity and love for exploring new cultures and destinations. This early experience across continents planted the seeds for her future career in the travel industry.

After gratuating with a degree in Tourism, over the years, Vanessa has honed her skills in curating unforgettable vacations, specializing especially in Italy and France, at Teresa Perez Tours. Her dedication and expertise have allowed her to craft unique experiences.

With her background, passion, and expertise, Vanessa had joined the DUCO Team for a fresh industry perspective and offer an unparalleled service.

Bianca Oliveira Administrative Assistant

Bianca has always been passionate about exploring new places and learning about different cultures. After completing her first degree, she traveled to Texas, USA, to work as a volunteer organizing events for local schools.

Upon returning to Brazil, she pursued another degree in Tourism and gained experience working for high-end hotels in both operational and administrative roles. She is part of the DUCO Team as an assistant in the finance and administrative department.

In her free time, Bianca enjoys going to concerts and traveling; she combines both passions whenever possible. She also finds joy in practicing aerial circus, spending quality time with cats, and trying new vegetarian foods!

Adriana Percussi Event Planner

Beatriz Araujo Event Planning

Stefanie De Méo Project Executive