HISTORY

INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION

APAVT - Portuguese Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism is the only association of this class in Portugal and the oldest and representative of the national tourism, bringing together:
Permanent Partners - Nacional Travel Agents
Allies Associates - other companies related to tourism such as foreign travel agencies, airlines, hotels, restaurants, rent-a-car, official tourism bodies, campsites and road transport, among others.
APAVT was founded on May 30, 1950 by a group of Travel Agents who considered that, in the form of association, could better defend the rights and interests of their sector. Over the last fifty seven years the Association has played a key role in the development of national tourism, promoting the exchange of ideas among its members, presenting proposals at all levels, anticipating market changes and preparing the sector for the challenges already placed. Given the pivotal position of travel agents, which are the main link between tourism and consumers alike, the action of APAVT often beyond the scope of this class, contributes significantly to tourism as a whole. As evidence of the importance of APAVT sector development, the Ministry of Tourism attributes the Gold Medal of Touristic Merit, on September 30th, 1982, published in the Diário da República No. 262 - Series II 1982. Founded as Gremio and converted into Association after the 1974 revolution, in the early 2000 was also set up the company APAVT Service - SGPS, SA, a holding company wholly owned by APAVT aimed at the development of associational activity and professionalism of its services. APAVT is based in Lisboa, Rua Rodrigues Sampaio, No. 170, 1º.

STRUCTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION
The General Assembly, the Audit Committee and the Board are organs of the Association

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

President
Tiago Ferreira Matos Jesus Raiano (Turangra - Viagens e Turismo, Lda) - ANGRA DO HEROISMO

Vice President
Carlos Augusto de Castro e Costa (Club Tour - Viagens e Turismo, S.A.) PORTO

First Secretary
Maria Isabel F. Martins (PT Team AGAXTUR Europa, S.A.) LISBOA

Second Secretary
Catarina Cymbron (Melo – Agência de Viagens Melo, Lda.) PONTA DELGADA

FISCAL COUNCIL

President
Armando Luís E. Rodrigues Ferraz (Oásis – Viagens e Turismo, S.A.) LISBOA

Member
António Maria C. Pereira Palha (ACP - Viagens e Turismo, Lda.) LISBOA

Member
Vitor Manuel Osório Gonçalves (Beta - Viagens e Turismo, Lda.) COIMBRA

Alternate Member
Mafalda Maria Dias Bravo (Escalatur - Viagens e Turismo, Lda.) LISBOA

BOARD

President
Pedro Costa Ferreira (Lounge – Agência de Viagens e Turismo, Lda.) LISBOA

Vice President
Eduarda Simões Neves (Equipa de Turismo – Viagens e Turismo, S.A.) FARO

Vice - President
Nuno Mateus (Soliférias - Operadores Turísticos, S.A. ) LISBOA

Treasurer Director
Paula Alves (TravelTailors - Turismo Activo, Lda.) LISBOA

Director
Tito Ângelo Santos Soares da Silva - (Caravela 2000 - Viagens e Turismo, SA) BRAGA

Director
Duarte Manuel Góis Correia - (World 2 Meet Portugal, Lda) ALBUFEIRA

Director
Rui Manuel Bismark Pinto Lopes - (Pinto Lopes Viagens, SA) PORTO

Substitute
Marco Sequeira - (Alive Portugal - Agência de Viagens SA) PORTO

Substitute
Maria do Rosário Aleixo Morais (Vega - Ag. Viagens Turismo Internacional, Lda) - LISBOA

Substitute
Dafne Lemos (Quasar - Viagens e Turismo, S.A.) LISBOA

REGIONAL DELEGATES

Regional Delegate in the Azores
Catarina Cymbron (Melo - Melo Travel Agency, Lda) PONTA DELGADA

Regional Delegate in Algarve
Dulce Almeida ( Class Travel - Viagens e Turismo, LDA) PORTIMÃO 

Regional Delegate in Madeira
Gabriel Gonçalves (GeoExplorer - Agência de Viagens e Turismo, S.A.) FARO

Regional Delegate in Center of Portugal
Vitor Osório ( Beta - Viagens e Turismo Lda) Coimbra

Regional Delegate in North
Tito Ângelo Santos Soares da Silva (Caravela 2000 - Viagens e Turismo, SA) BRAGA

MAIN SERVICES GIVEN BY APAVT

Vocational Training: Organizes and promotes vocational training courses in various disciplines needed for the activities of its members, nationwide.

Legal Counsel: Provides legal support to its members, notably on the Labor Law, and Tax Professional.

Annual Congress: Considered by most of the press and the industry as the premier forum for discussing national tourism, the Congresses of APAVT are held annually and usually congregate hundreds of professionals from various sectors of tourism.

Technical Seminars: With the frequency and themes that seem relevant in each moment, APAVT organizes and promotes technical seminars, using speakers of recognized competence.

Studies: Themes and issues relevant to the activity, which can be studied, leading to a working tool for members, allowing them to adapt to changing market, to develop their businesses, improve their performance, etc. will be performed whenever possible and promoted by APAVT. The latest example was the study commissioned by Deloitte & Touche to APAVT on the "Emission Cost of Airline Tickets."

Communication: Through circulars of the journal website (www.apavtnet.pt), twitter, facebook, You Tube, and Flickr. 

Arbitration Center APAVT: The Arbitration Center aims to promote the resolution of disputes between travel agencies and tourism associated with the APAVT or between them and the persons or entities with whom they maintain business relationships, excluding consumer customers. The main advantages are the speed in resolving conflicts and ensuring the expertise of the entity issuing the order. 

Ombudsman Office of APAVT: The Ombudsman seeks to defend and promote the legitimate rights and interests of users of services of travel agencies and tourism and dignity of these services to the general public. A pioneer in this field as the business association, the main innovation of this measure is based on faster resolution of complaints of possible conflicts between travel agencies and tourism membership and their customers, allowing immediate grant of compensation, cutting red tape process and contributing to greater transparency and credibility of the business of travel and tourism

Directory: Published annually, with a list of all members of APAVT, among other information of general interest to the sector.