Long-serving travel agent Carl Paiva has retired from the firm he founded more than a decade ago, it was announced yesterday.

Mr Paiva, who has spent more than 40 years in the industry, founded C Travel with business partner Lois Wilson 13 years ago and sold the firm to Worldview Travel in 2011.

Worldview Travel president Ricci Zukerman said: “We will miss Carl enormously. He has lead his team into the robust world of Worldview Travel.

“Not only do we see Carl as an award-winning and accomplished leader, but as a true friend.”

Mr Paiva said he would be dividing his time between New York and his family in Bermuda — and pursuing his first love, arts management.

Mr Paiva, 64, who retired as president and CEO of Worldview’s Bermuda operation at the end of last month, said: “My degree was in art and literature and the plan is to go back and forward between New York and Bermuda.

“I’m not planning on working full time in the arts management area, but I’m planning to work with my friends in that industry, more in a philanthropic role and enjoying my retirement.”

Mr Paiva, from Pembroke, added he had planned to move into the arts world when he graduated aged 22 — but marriage and a family meant he ended up returning to Bermuda and carving out a career in the travel industry instead.

He said: “I have been in the business for more than 40 years and I’m ready to move on and do something different.

“I saw the opportunity with the different people I’ve been working with, friends I had graduated with, and who have been seeing me frequently in Boston and New York.”

He added: “I have always been a fan of the performing arts, especially musical theatre. I look forward to supporting the arts through my philanthropic efforts and hope to contribute to successful productions, advise new talent and enjoy exciting new works in New York City.”

Mr Paiva added that he had seen huge changes in the industry since he started in 1971 as a shipping agent for Watlington & Conyers before moving to Meyer Travel three years later, where he rose to be vice-president before striking out on his own.

He said: “Travel has dramatically changed from the manual system to an automated system in the 1980s. We were basically serving a huge majority of people that travelled, not just air travel but hotels, cruises and tours, et cetera.”

And he added that successful travel agents had moved away from simply being “order takers” to crafting customised packages for travellers, while continuing to service corporate clients, as well as assisting Bermudian travellers who still sought out travel agents to secure the best available deal on flights.

Mr Paiva said: “If anyone was starting out in the business today, they need to know, if they are going to be successful, they have to serve clients one-on-one. If they’re going to bank on just air tickets, they will not be successful.”

Mr Paiva’s daughters, Gretchen and Holly, as well as seven grandchildren, live in Bermuda and he said he would be a regular visitor home.

Worldview also announced that Pat Trott, Mr Paiva’s long-time colleague and personal assistant, who has 30 years’ experience in the travel business, will take over as Hamilton branch manager.