EXCLUSIVE: Abercrombie & Kent will expand its global network of destination management companies (DMCs) to Mexico, as the luxury travel company expands its high-end exploration and experiential offering across the USA’s southern border, LATTE can exclusively reveal.
The DMC will join A&K’s portfolio later this year, headed by an A&K veteran. Surprisingly, given its close proximity to the United States, Abercrombie & Kent hasn’t had a destination management company in Mexico before.
Speaking exclusively with LATTE this week, Debra Fox,Managing Director Australasia – A&K / EVP, Trade Sales APAC – A&K & Crystal said the appointment of a DMC in Mexico is in line with a greater expansion for A&K Travel Group in that country and a focus on Latin America (Latam).
In December 2022, A&K Travel Group took an equity partnership with Santiago Dunn and his company, Ecoventura, a leader in sustainable travel in the Galapagos Islands. That partnership led to the creation of A&K South America, headed by Santiago Dunn (the founder of Ecoventura) as CEO.
“The entire Latam expansion, which started with the Ecoventura investment, is A&K going full tilt in that region,” Fox explained.
“This partnership and the addition of a DMC in Mexico is just the start of what we’re going to see throughout Latin America,” she said.
That expansion includes the announcement at A&K’s Club 100 event in Chicago earlier this month of the new Peruvian Amazon ship that will launch next year, as flagged first by LATTElast week.
“Mexico is a really important destination – it’s huge for Americans, huge for Europeans and looking at this region, Australians do love that exploration side of Mexico as well,” Fox explained.
A&K’s growth in Mexcio will also extend to the property market where the company has acquired a beachside property, LATTE can also reveal.
“The deal is done and the announcement is imminent. We’ll also have further properties in Mexico joining the pipeline as well,” Fox said. The A&K regional boss was tight-lipped on saying which A&K Travel Group brand the new properties were aligned with, saying to “watch this space”.
Fox did however indicate the beachside property was not a move into the major tourist resort hubs, but instead in jungle regions focused on culture and history, “not your flop and drop” cities like Cancun.
“The location is unbelievable. It’s a very exciting move and follows off the back of our advancements in Costa Rica and Colombia, both of which are going extremely well for us,” Fox said.
“We’re going to go in hard in Mexico. We see Ecoventura’s expansion as a big part of our future and Mexico is just the start,” she concluded.
