Speaking exclusively to Karryon before she heads to the UK to take up her new role as A&K Managing Director for UK and APAC, Debra Fox revealed A&K will launch a curated luxury collection of villas, and its beaches collection, in Australia.
Fox says ‘Abercrombie & Kent Villas’ and ‘Beaches’ will be focused on the Australian luxury traveller and is a carefully curated list of high-end private villas.
The current collection of properties in Europe and the Caribbean was recognised as the UK Leading Villa Operator 2024 by the Times & Sunday Times Travel Awards, and Fox says the idea will soon be available to Australian luxury travellers.
“These are high-end stays targeted at those who want a week or so to escape. This has been very successful in the UK and we look forward to bringing the product range to Australia for the first time.
“It’s a curated range with guests able to personalise their experience, such as including a chef or sommelier to the use of a luxury car.”
Ultra-personalisation focus for A&K moving forward
Fox says the move to launch its villa and beaches concept in Australia comes at a time when luxury travellers are increasingly seeking more personalised experiences and want to “create their own story”.
“An example of this is an Australian couple who wanted to renew their vows in Egypt.
“A&K arranged for 30 of their friends to join the ceremony overlooking the pyramids. This included private helicopters to the pyramids and kicked off with an exclusive breakfast experience on top of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) – this was one of the first times this had been done.
“That exclusive, ultra-personalised experience is an area where we’re seeing significant growth.”
She says while not everyone has the budget to do that, everyone wants to feel that way, and that’s an area of focus for A&K.
“That’s one thing we need to deliver on and work hard at. It’s about working within a budget and focusing on what your trip will be and creating your story. Everyone should be treated like a rockstar and that’s our challenge to deliver that.”
Africa key market for growth
Fox says Africa is a key market of growth for A&K and she doesn’t see that slowing.
The luxury tour brand already has 13 safari lodges and luxury camps in national parks across Africa, and five riverboats in the Nile and Amazon.
The next 12 months will also see the opening of Kitirua Plains Lodge in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and a new riverboat in Peru.
“We’re seeing growth from South Africa up to East Africa, while West Africa is emerging as a new off-the-beaten-track area, and that’s both for cruise and A&K, and it’s because luxury travellers are so well-travelled that they are looking at what’s next.”
But the key, she says, isn’t just infrastructure.
“It’s the A&K people on the ground with deep knowledge of those regions. That’s the key difference for us. The infrastructure is important, but it’s all about the experience delivered on the ground.”
Closer to home
Closer to home, A&K is launching an eco-lodge in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Bungle Bungle Range region of the Kimberley.
It is A&K’s first footprint in the APAC region, and while still in the planning stage, Fox says they are working with local communities and the WA government to ensure it leads the way in its eco-standard for the region.
UK bound
Fox will move to the UK in June and says it’s a place she feels at home.
“I’ve been with A&K for three years, and before that, I had a private consulting business doing strategy work, and prior to that was with APT and spent a lot of time in the UK.
“I saw so many synergies with this market. Even though the British market is more conservative, that’s not the case in how they travel, and there are many similarities to what Australians want from travel.
“The durations are different, but the profile and experiences are similar. So this is a great opportunity to bring those markets closer together.”
Fox says she’s excited to make the move.
“I’m looking forward to London. We have a strong leadership team here in Australia, they don’t really need me,” she says with a laugh.
“But in all honesty, they can’t get rid of me that easily. I’ll be back every few months to support the team and strategy. There are lots of exciting developments happening, and I’m excited for the future with our trade partners here.”
For more information, visit A&K.
