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With the acquisition of Crystal and the expansion of its
land offerings, A&K Travel Group, parent of luxury tour operator Abercrombie
& Kent, is “doubling down” on its outreach to the travel trade, said
Marett Taylor, chief sales officer.
New Sales Directors
Substantial investments are being made in reaching out to
travel advisors, Taylor said, noting that four additional sales directors
representing the Crystal product line have been added in different geographic
regions. In addition, account executives have been added in the reservations
office dedicated to trade support. The new hires have strong trade backgrounds,
in many cases decades of experience in the industry.
Taylor said all trade support teams work closely with the A&K
sales team to identify “new-to-cruise” travel advisors who have a strong
background in selling luxury land products and “want to begin selling cruises
with a company that shares the ethos of personal service that so many FIT
specialists have as a cornerstone of the travel experiences they create for
their clients.”
Crystal’s Hallmark Service
This type of advisor, Taylor said, will find it easy to
introduce cruising to clients who value elements like Crystal’s superlative
service – with butler service in every suite, the ability to choose from a
variety of shore excursions and create customized experiences on land. The
concept of choosing from multiple dining venues like the only Nobu at sea, she
said, ”will appeal to that clientele – and we hope advisors will be excited to
bring new clients to Crystal.”
Over the next couple of years, Taylor said her aim is to
streamline many of A&K’s booking systems, travel advisor portals and
training programs.
Major changes are coming to the advisor portal in 2024, she
added.
Innovative Experiences
Advisors who are familiar with A&K, Taylor said, “have
loved the innovative experiences the company has created for their clients” –
experiences she hopes to make more accessible through destination training
programs for advisors. For example, the South America office has just launched
an A&K South America University program for advisors, similar to the Africa
University program that has been available for a number of years.
In addition to those educational efforts, A&K is also
offering some “very attractive” educational rates for advisors on select
Crystal sailings, Taylor said.
A&K will be capitalizing on the synergy of its two
primary brands with promotions like a recent 25 percent off deal for guests who
book a Crystal cruise and then reserve
a safari on land in Africa or at sea in the Galapagos with the company’s
Ecoventura luxury yachts.
A guest on an Abercrombie & Kent expedition cruise to Antarctica crouches near penguins on Salisbury Plain in South Georgia. (photo via Abercrombie & Kent) (Photo Credit: (photo via Abercrombie & Kent))
A&K’s sales leaders, concluded Taylor, “have the
knowledge, experience and passion to take the group to new heights.” She said
she looks forward to “working closely with them to recruit additional talent to
drive success, deliver exceptional travel experiences and strengthen
partnerships throughout our travel advisor community.”
A&K Tour Innovation
Abercrombie & Kent is not letting up on its historic
role of innovating in the tour segment. The company recently launched “Italy
& the Palio: An Inspiring Expedition by Geoffrey Kent.”
The itinerary, which is scheduled to depart on August 2024,
will be hosted by A&K Founder Geoffrey Kent and the Duke of Roxburghe,
Charles Innes-Ker.
Guests will witness the Palio di Siena in Sienna, Italy, a
historic horse race that takes place right in the town’s central plaza.
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