Abreu Travel

In 1840, the first page in the history of Agência Abreu was written. Its protagonist is Bernardo Luis Vieira de Abreu, born in Rossas, Vieira do Minho. Taking as a reference the movement of emigrants leaving the north of Portugal and Galicia, heading especially to Brazil, Bernardo de Abreu settled that year, in the city of Porto, on Rua do Loureiro. The first travel agency in the world to open customer service offices was born there. Soon, Agência Abreu gained relevance as a service provider company that was very diligent in its different areas of expertise, initially involving the processing of passports and emigration visas, as well as the sale of train transport tickets to Lisbon and ships to South America. Over the years, destinations have expanded to Africa, North America and Europe.

In the 1950s, the portfolio of products and services increased in value with European Tours and Group Travel – still two icons in Agência Abreu's programming today.

With references to freight transport agencies for Brazil and Africa as early as 1895, it was in 1957 that the company's activity became part of the Cargo sector, which currently plays a key role within the Abreu Group, as important as Leisure Travel and Business Travel, alongside the areas of Groups, Congresses and Incentives.

In 1960, the company moved to Avenida dos Aliados and a new cycle began in the Company's life, largely determined by the unstoppable boom in commercial aviation.

Still in the sixties, the Company began selling cruises, increasing in the following decades with full charters of ships for trips along the Brazilian coast, to the Azores, Madeira, Continental Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The Company thus contributed to the strengthening of an industry – cruises – that opened new perspectives to global tourism, a business segment where Agência Abreu also asserts its specialty and unique experience, becoming a market leader until today.

The following decades saw the expansion of the store network across the country. The company's own tour operator is launched, to create and distribute products and manage (pioneering) charter flight operations in Portugal, Spain and Brazil. All of this reflects the remarkable growth of the tourism industry and the democratization of travel, now within the reach of thousands of people through Agência Abreu's competitive offer.

The times that follow bring to light the sustained growth of business and the expansion of the Company's presence in Portugal and the world.

In 2003, the Portuguese were invited to “discover” Mundo Abreu, today the largest travel fair in Europe exclusively aimed at the public, with the presence of institutional organizations and suppliers of national and foreign tourist services from the five continents, and which all The years constitute, for thousands of people, the great opportunity to travel. And in 2014, Expo Abreu was launched, the 1st winter travel market organized in Portugal.

The new millennium is one of investment in the Portuguese-speaking triangle Portugal-Brazil-Angola and in deepening relations with other markets on the American continent. New offices appear in the United States and England. Investments also extend to cutting-edge technologies, internal and external communication, new media and the interpretation of a model of society increasingly guided by the rules and trends of the digital economy. And this is tangible in all areas of competence: starting with the Operator, which is responsible for product creation and programming for Portugal, Angola, Brazil and other Latin American markets; in the store network and via the internet; in the corporate area, serving corporate and institutional clients; through Abreu Online, a hotel reservation system and other land services, worldwide, for professional clients from all over the world; through the Groups area; or, via Abreu DMC – PCO, a business unit specialized in organizing events, product launches, corporate incentives and congresses.

In 2015, Agência Abreu is the largest travel organization operating in the Portuguese market, with 150 stores (all owned) – the largest network nationwide. It organizes leisure and work trips and events for travelers from all over the world in Portugal, Europe and the world.

Market recognition and trust result from the unsurpassed capacity for innovation and performance of a global universe of 1,500 employees and the selection of the best partners in the area of tourism and travel.

175 years later and now as a globalized company, Agência Abreu continues to maintain its matrix intact, having as owners the direct descendants of the founder and electing the client as its true shareholder.