Fox says ‘Abercrombie & Kent Villas’ and ‘Beaches’ will be targeted at both the inbound and Australian luxury traveller and will be a carefully curated list of high-end private villas across Australia.
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 now be extended to the Australian market.
“These are high-end stays people can do when they want a break from A&K tours, or simply a week or so to escape.
“This has been huge in the UK and that’ll be coming to Australia for the first time.
“It’s a curated range and guests can add on whatever they want from a chef or sommelier to the use of a luxury car.”
Podere Gherardini in Chianti, one of the Villas in the Abercrombie & Kent villa collection
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, and we flew them to the Egyptian pyramids, where 30 of their friends gathered. They had an intimate ceremony and private breakfast on the rooftop of the new Grand Egyptian Museum and that’s one of the first times that’s 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.”
The pyramids of Giza with A&K
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, and the next 12 months will see the opening of Kitirua Plains Lodge in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and a new riverboat.
“From South Africa up to East Africa is really 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.
“We need to have 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 what we do with the people on the ground.”
A&K’s new lodge, Kitirua Plains Lodge will open in Kenya next year
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.
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.
She says this is A&K’s first footprint in the APAC region, and it’s a project that will ensure the environment is preserved and the local community is incorporated into the experiences available with authentic Indigenous experiences in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed area.
The Purnululu National Park home to the Bungle Bungle range © Ben Carless
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 was with APT for 17 years 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 they are very similar to Australians.
“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. The team is so good here, 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. 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.