At the beginning of 2024, COLUMBUS proudly presented a brand-new corporate design, including a contemporary and modern logo. Since the company’s founding in 1932, the logo has undergone several redesigns. Following the motto “Timeless. Beautiful. Modern by Tradition.” the elegant new emblem reflects both the heritage and the progress of the COLUMBUS brand.

This spirit of progress is now also reflected in the company’s headquarters. Within only eight months, the building was not only renovated and restored but also reimagined from the ground up. Every measure followed one core principle: to plan and act as sustainably as possible, enabling a CO₂-neutral operation.

Both the retail areas on the ground floor and the office spaces on the upper floors were completely refurbished and upgraded using state-of-the-art construction technology. Four air-source heat pumps were installed on the roof. The electricity required to operate them — as well as the entire building, which remains family-owned — is sourced exclusively from renewable energy such as wind and hydropower. In addition, all lighting systems throughout the building were converted to energy-efficient LED technology.

In mid-November, the impressive opening of the new premises took place, featuring the premiere of a unique ceiling projection that delighted customers and partners alike.

In October 2022, COLUMBUS announced the acquisition of AFT Travel Management. Founded by Astrid Fuchs in 2007, the company is known for crafting tailor-made travel itineraries and bringing even the most ambitious travel visions to life.

With the acquisition of the “RAM Congress + Event” brand, COLUMBUS further expands its MICE business and looks ahead to a promising future, particularly in the areas of congresses and events.

COLUMBUS has also become a licensee of the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Meetings & Green Events.

At the beginning of the year, the COLUMBUS Group took over a new location in Wolfurt and continued its westward expansion with the acquisition of the travel agency Sonne und Meer, a long-established and well-known player in the Vorarlberg travel market.

Just a few months later, a small and invisible virus brought all holiday plans to a standstill. With worldwide travel restrictions lasting into 2022, the global COVID-19 pandemic had a severe and lasting impact on the international travel industry.

Despite the lack of economic recovery, COLUMBUS succeeded in further strengthening its portfolio and integrated airtour austria — a successful niche product — under the umbrella of the COLUMBUS Group.

COLUMBUS expands its product portfolio and acquires the successful tour operator REISETHEK in Kufstein. In cooperation with the daily newspaper Die Presse, REISETHEK offers its readers a curated selection of exceptional journeys, focusing on a remarkable variety of unique travel experiences, which are now also available exclusively through COLUMBUS travel agencies.

7cs Seven Seas Reisen becomes part of the COLUMBUS Group and has strengthened the team at the COLUMBUS headquarters on Universitätsring since January 2018. Founded in 1996 by Martin Stacherl, 7CS specialises in high-end leisure travel.

The COLUMBUS Liesing branch relocates to Perchtoldsdorf, opening an additional location in Lower Austria. At the same time, following the retirement of Renate Macho, COLUMBUS takes over the operations of Machos Reisewelt, the local travel agency based in Perchtoldsdorf.

The company expands into Tyrol – COLUMBUS takes over the Schenker travel agency in Innsbruck. The new branch not only offers the full range of services for private customers but is also among the most competent partners in the field of business travel management.

COLUMBUS expands its branch network. New locations are opened in Raaba-Grambach (Graz) and Baden near Vienna. In addition, the company continues to drive its international expansion.

COLUMBUS acquires Jetway Reisen Gesellschaft m.b.H., based in Linz. Founded in 1990 by Peter Keplinger, the company specialises in the destinations Mauritius, the Maldives, and the Seychelles, as well as round trips in the USA.

The COLUMBUS travel agency group celebrates its 80th anniversary with a glamorous event for customers and employees at Vienna City Hall.

KR Dr. Carl Ludwig Richard hands over the management of the company to his youngest son, Mag. Alexander Wenzel Richard. The “Union Reisen” brand is discontinued in favour of the “COLUMBUS Reisen” brand.

Union Reisen celebrates its 90th anniversary.

The COLUMBUS business travel division is established as an independent Business Travel GmbH and becomes the exclusive partner of FCM Travel Solutions in Austria. With ten subsidiaries and more than 60 partner companies worldwide, FCM offers its corporate clients global travel management solutions under the motto “Better travel ideas. Greater savings.”

The TravelStar group is launched — with COLUMBUS playing a leading and ongoing role. Today, TravelStar is one of the largest and therefore most influential travel agency alliances in Austria.

“Austrobus Die Reiseprofis” is renamed “COLUMBUS Ihr Reisebüro.” In the following years, the travel agency network is significantly expanded, and the business travel segment grows through the acquisition of travel companies in Vienna and Linz. Additional new areas of activity include the organisation of incentive trips and event management.

The company’s successful growth is reflected in the expansion of its travel agency network. Incoming activities are strengthened through the Welcome Touristic offices in Budapest and Prague, as well as the acquisition of Imperial Tours in Vienna.

The long-established tour operator Union Reisen becomes part of the travel agency group.

The expansion begins, and the branch network of Austrobus (later COLUMBUS Ihr Reisebüro) is enlarged. With the acquisition of the Capri travel agency, an almost twelve-percent share in the long-haul tour operator Airtour Austria is also obtained.

From the 1970s onwards, several well-known tour operator brands from the COLUMBUS group are created — foremost “bustours – austria,” which over the years becomes Austria’s most popular bus tour operator. Morgenland Reisen is founded as a specialist for travel to the Middle East, while Jet Tours is established as a tour operator offering long-haul flight packages.

Fierce competition in Vienna’s sightseeing sector leads to a cooperation among the competing companies. Vienna Sightseeing Tours – Wiener Rundfahrten GesmbH is founded, with Austrobus as one of the main shareholders from the very beginning.

KR Dkfm. Dr. Ludwig Richard, founder of the Dr. Richard Transport Company, acquires Austrobus. From the very beginning, the management of Austrobus is entrusted to his son, KR Dkfm. Dr. Carl-Ludwig Richard.

The Richard family opens its first own travel agency at Franz-Josefs-Kai 11 in Vienna. Obtaining a full concession at that time is extremely difficult — after all, it grants the right to issue train, flight, and ship tickets, organise international travel, and arrange hotel and event bookings.

The Richard family begins operating regular motor coach routes — initially in Vienna and Lower Austria, and later also in other federal provinces and abroad.

The motor coach route Vienna – Oberwart – Güssing – Jennersdorf is launched and operated using converted trucks.

In the early days of May, Austrobus resumes operations with two vehicles salvaged from the war. With great dedication, the employees begin rebuilding the company. Before long, Austrobus once again looks toward a future marked by success and growth.

Three months after the end of the Second World War — and after losing the majority of its fleet — Ludwig Richard restarts cargo and passenger transport services in Vienna and Upper Austria.

Ludwig Richard III acquires a cargo transport company equipped with several three-wheelers and an unrestricted freight transport licence. He soon realises that, due to heavy competition, cargo transport could hardly be operated profitably. He therefore decides — in line with the circumstances and opportunities of the time — to convert the available trucks for passenger transport and to establish scheduled passenger services in Burgenland, which at that time was underserved in this sector.

The outbreak of the Second World War brings Austrobus’s initial period of success to an abrupt end. Almost all vehicles are requisitioned, and the sightseeing services come to a complete standstill.

Austrobus’s upward trajectory continues almost without interruption. The fleet of modern coaches has now grown to 42 vehicles. Contemporary photographs highlight the high level of comfort these buses offered, primarily used for excursion tours and sightseeing trips.

The architectural firm Kastner-Waage redesigns the exterior appearance of today’s COLUMBUS headquarters. The new architectural concept is highlighted in illustrated publications as a positive example.

Austrobus is granted the right to bear the Austrian Coat of Arms.

Four sightseeing operators (Wohlgemuth, Domjan, Bäumel and Krautstofl) merge to form the company Austrobus. The newly founded company primarily operates sightseeing tours in and around Vienna. The very first shareholders’ meeting takes place in today’s COLUMBUS headquarters at Universitätsring 8 in Vienna and is considered the birth of the modern COLUMBUS Group.

The company Kolda is founded as the oldest coach operator within the Dr. Richard Group.

The building, originally constructed in 1577, is demolished and reopened in 1888 as a hotel by Carl Richard.

Wenzel Richard takes over the “Goldene Ente” after the Tauscher family remains without heirs.

Josef Richard marries Franz Tauscher’s daughter Theresia. From that moment on, the fate of the Viennese restaurateur and hotelier dynasty Richard is closely linked to the “Goldene Ente” for generations to come.

At the age of sixteen, Josef Richard arrives in Vienna as an itinerant craftsman from Weißenstein in Swabia and becomes a waiter for his future father-in-law, Franz Tauscher, at the “Ente.”

First documented mention of the inn “Zur Goldenen Anten” at Riemergasse 4 in Vienna’s 1st district.