DS TRAVEL

What DS TRAVEL does

DS Travel is the dedicated travel and tourism brand of GRUPO DS, a diversified Portuguese business group founded in 2003 that operates more than 620 stores, 6,000 employees, and serves roughly 700,000 customers across credit intermediation, insurance, and travel services in Portugal. The DS Travel brand was inaugurated with its first Portuguese store in Póvoa de Varzim in June 2023 and has since expanded to 21 franchised agencies across mainland Portugal and Madeira, including locations in Vila Nova de Gaia (headquarters), Porto, Albufeira, Funchal, Lagos, and Leiria. The legal entity operating DS Travel is Decisões e Soluções - Viagens e Turismo, Lda, registered as RNAVT n.º 10343.

The company delivers package holidays, customized itineraries, summer circuits, cruises (e.g., Mediterranean aboard MSC Orchestra), honeymoon packages (Maldives, French Polynesia, Zanzibar), family vacations (Disneyland Paris, Madeira, Sardinia), and ancillary services including excursions, rent-a-car, and travel insurance. Pricing spans roughly €399 per person for entry-level European circuits to €2,750+ for premium long-haul destinations such as New York. Its technology stack consists of a proprietary CRM and a booking/management software suite developed specifically for and exclusive to the DS Travel franchise network. As a Banco de Portugal-authorized credit intermediary (n.º 0000926), DS Travel also distributes consumer credit in partnership with seven major Portuguese and international banks (Santander Totta, BPI, Novo Banco, Bankinter, Unicre, Montepio Crédito, BNP Paribas Personal Finance).

DS Travel's go-to-market relies on a franchise model with two entry paths: opening a full DS Travel agency (Abertura de Agência) or operating as an independent Consultor de Viagens, both for a one-time investment of €2,500 + VAT. The company sells through physical agency walk-ins, phone, online quote requests via dstravel.pt, and digital channels including blog, newsletter, and social media. Revenue is generated from markups on travel supplier rates, service fees, credit intermediation commissions, and franchise entry fees. The company has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities and reports roughly 20 direct employees, with the broader Grupo DS network providing operational, supplier, and brand resources.

Name

DS TRAVEL

Legal name

DECISÕES E SOLUÇÕES - VIAGENS E TURISMO, LDA

Website

https://dstravel.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DS Travel is the travel agency brand of Portuguese conglomerate GRUPO DS, operating 21 franchised agencies across mainland Portugal and Madeira that sell packaged holidays, cruises, honeymoons, and family vacations, supported by a proprietary CRM and Banco de Portugal-authorized consumer credit intermediation with seven bank partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Agency Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510), Travel Agencies (56151)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Leisure & Generalist Retail Travel Agencies (THAKABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Luxury & Premium Leisure Travel Agencies (THAKABAC)

Keywords

• Travel agency services
• Package holidays
• Credit intermediation
• Travel franchise network
• Cruise and circuit packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Póvoa de Varzim

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tour Packages and Travel Services: DS Travel sells packaged holidays including flights, accommodation, transfers, tours, and cruises to end consumers. Revenue is generated through markups on supplier rates and service fees. They offer destinations across Europe, Americas, Africa, and Asia.
2. Credit Intermediation: DS Travel is a credit intermediary authorized by Banco de Portugal (registration no. 0000926), facilitating travel financing solutions in partnership with major Portuguese banks (Santander Totta, BPI, Novo Banco, Bankinter, Unicre, Montepio Crédito, BNP Paribas Personal Finance). Commission is earned on credit products arranged for customers.
3. Franchise Fees: Independent franchisees (Travel Consultants) invest 2,500€ + VAT to join the DS Travel network, gaining access to the brand, technology platform, training, and supplier protocols. Franchisees operate independently under the DS Travel brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DS TRAVEL is a Portuguese travel agency brand under GRUPO DS that sells packaged holidays (flights, accommodation, transfers, tours, cruises) and provides credit intermediation services for travel financing. It operates a franchise network of 21 physical agencies across Portugal and Madeira, offering personalized travel planning services to individual consumers and families, with destinations spanning Europe, Americas, Africa, and Asia.

Product overview

DS TRAVEL is a multi-agency travel network operating as part of GRUPO DS, offering a unified portfolio of travel services centered around its core Organização de Viagens (Travel Organization) and Intermediação de Crédito (Credit Intermediation) products. The portfolio includes complete travel packages (Voos + Hotel + Transferes), cruises, summer circuit packages, honeymoon destinations, and family vacation packages, complemented by add-on services like excursions, rent-a-car, and travel insurance. The company operates through a franchise model, with both full DS TRAVEL agency openings and a Consultor de Viagens (Travel Consultant) independent professional model, as well as sub-brands like DS Travel Albufeira Prime. GRUPO DS manages over 620 stores nationwide with 21 DS TRAVEL agencies across Portugal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organização de Viagens (Travel Organization)

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 physical agencies across Portugal and Madeira serving customers nationwide
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Associação Sara CarreiraminorOthers · 24 February 2023Grupo DS signed a collaboration protocol with the Sara Carreira Association on February 24, 2023, delivering a donation of 100,000 euros at the event attended by 415 store directors nationwide. The association, led by Tony Carreira, helps underprivileged children and youth pursue education and realize their dreams. Grupo DS is one of the main patrons of this association.
• Fundação GilminorOthersGrupo DS has supported and continues to support several associations and social projects including Fundação Gil, which is one of the social causes supported by the group.
• Corações com CoroaminorOthersGrupo DS has supported and continues to support several associations and social projects including Corações com Coroa, which is one of the social causes supported by the group.
• Tourism Operators and Airlines (Protocols)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDS Travel has protocols and preferential relationships with tourism operators, airline companies, and rent-a-car providers at national level, enabling competitive pricing and diverse service offerings for customers. These supplier partnerships are a core component of the franchise value proposition.
• Visit Kotka-Hamina (Ulko-Tammio Island)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisit Kotka-Hamina partnered with DS Travel to promote Finland's Ulko-Tammio island as a digital detox tourism destination. This partnership positions DS Travel as an authority on unique and emerging travel experiences.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=D7tv0xvJ4vs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dstravelportugal

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DS TRAVEL