Viagens Abreu
Encyclopedia
Viagens Abreu is the world’s oldest travel agency
, as well as the largest travel organization in Portugal
. The current headquarters are in Porto
, with the main office in Linda–a–Velha, a suburb of Lisbon
, in a spacious office building. Abreu has offices throughout Portugal, with over 120 retail locations in the mainland, and the islands of Madeira
and the Azores
.
and Venezuela
was significant, and Abreu, a noted businessman in Porto, opened his agency to offer passport and visa services, as well as sales of train tickets to Lisbon and ship passages to and from South America.
Thus the oldest travel agency in the world was created from the close ties Portugal and Brazil still enjoy. After World War II
, as the growth of commercial aviation
shortened the distances between continents and international tourism
expanded, Abreu developed into its current organization.
Five generations later, the company is still owned by the same family and their direct descendants.
, inbound and outbound): Leisure Travel, Corporate Travel, Youth Travel, Senior Travel, Tour Operation, Destination Management, congresses, groups and incentives, fairs, and exhibitions.
A steady growth in the Portuguese market lead to the expansion of the company to international locations, with the opening of companies in Brazil, Spain
, England
, and the United States
.
The company owns one of the main tour operator
companies in Portugal, Club 1840, which operates Long Haul and Medium Haul charter operations, Scheduled flights operations, Escorted Tours in Europe, and all around the world, Cruises, Theme Parks, Winter holidays, etc.
Viagens Abreu also owns Abreu Carga
, a cargo company that operates air, land, and ocean freight from, to, and within Portugal.
Viagens Abreu has a stake in Pousadas de Portugal
.
Travel agency
A travel agency is a retail business that sells travel related products and services to customers on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products...
, as well as the largest travel organization in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The current headquarters are in Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
, with the main office in Linda–a–Velha, a suburb of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, in a spacious office building. Abreu has offices throughout Portugal, with over 120 retail locations in the mainland, and the islands of Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
and the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
.
History
The Abreu Agency was established in Porto in 1840 by Bernardo Abreu. At the time, emigration from northern Portugal and Galicia to BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
was significant, and Abreu, a noted businessman in Porto, opened his agency to offer passport and visa services, as well as sales of train tickets to Lisbon and ship passages to and from South America.
Thus the oldest travel agency in the world was created from the close ties Portugal and Brazil still enjoy. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as the growth of commercial aviation
Civil aviation
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work together to establish common standards and recommended practices...
shortened the distances between continents and international tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
expanded, Abreu developed into its current organization.
Five generations later, the company is still owned by the same family and their direct descendants.
Viagens Abreu today
Viagens Abreu offers an integrated service, with specialized departments covering all the major areas of the business (B2C and B2BBusiness-to-business
Business-to-business describes commerce transactions between businesses, such as between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between a wholesaler and a retailer...
, inbound and outbound): Leisure Travel, Corporate Travel, Youth Travel, Senior Travel, Tour Operation, Destination Management, congresses, groups and incentives, fairs, and exhibitions.
A steady growth in the Portuguese market lead to the expansion of the company to international locations, with the opening of companies in Brazil, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The company owns one of the main tour operator
Tour operator
A tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a holiday. The most common example of a tour operator's product would be a flight on a charter airline plus a transfer from the airport to a hotel and the services of a local representative, all for one price. Niche tour...
companies in Portugal, Club 1840, which operates Long Haul and Medium Haul charter operations, Scheduled flights operations, Escorted Tours in Europe, and all around the world, Cruises, Theme Parks, Winter holidays, etc.
Viagens Abreu also owns Abreu Carga
Abreu carga
Abreu - Carga e Trânsitos, Lda., often simply abbreviated to Abreu Carga, is one of the main transportation companies in Portugal, and operates air, land and ocean freight services from, to and within Portugal....
, a cargo company that operates air, land, and ocean freight from, to, and within Portugal.
Viagens Abreu has a stake in Pousadas de Portugal
Pousadas de Portugal
Pousadas de Portugal is a chain of luxury, traditional or historical hotels in Portugal. Formerly run by the state, they are now run by the Pestana group, which in September 2003 won a public bid for the sale of 37.6% of mother company Enatur and for a 40-year running concession...
.