XL Novo Mundo Travel Information

We indeed have such a commendable company right here in the midst of our XL Travel Group. Situated in a tree-lined street in the Johannesburg suburb of Bruma is XL Novo Mundo Travel. Still heading up this very successful and intimate agency is founder Silverio da Silva, unquestionably one of the most solid citizens you may ever get to meet. This exemplary and wonderful man is solidity, sincerity and humility personified…and he is clearly blessed with a more than fair measure of business acumen too. Silverio arrived in South Africa in the 1960s, “literally with only the clothes I was wearing.” After a very tough start to life in a dead-end job here in Johannesburg, he spotted an opportunity…which was helping members of the Portuguese community to get flights back to Portugal. He started booking tickets for friends and was soon making good commissions from carriers like TAP (then referred to humorously as Take Another Plane), SABENA and other airlines then heading in that direction too. Silverio started his business with one staff member to help him…and the rest is history. “In the beginning, I had the support of about 50% of the Portuguese community,” says Silverio, “but after three years that had already reached 90%. Even today, with all the competition and the Internet, we still enjoy a good 60% of our business from our Portuguese friends.” Since then Silverio has recruited 3 of his 4 sons - Paul, Ricky and Michael - to assist in the day-to-day running of the company and to ensure it's continued existence. These 4 directors along with a small compliment of extremely loyal staff (some of whom joined 30+ years ago!) create the unique Novo Mundo Family.