Abercrombie & Kent’s managing director Kerry Golds sets out the new trade strategy she has devised since joining the luxury operator. Rupert Murray reports
Luxury operator Abercrombie & Kent has worked with the trade for decades but its high-end holidays have generally been sold only by an elite set of agents.
However, that is poised to change under new managing director Kerry Golds, who joined in January having previously worked for Western & Oriental.
Golds admitted A&K had “not really pursued” the trade over
the years, but she has put in place a strategy and infrastructure aimed specifically at growing third-party sales.
“A small number of people have been followers and partners but it has never been part of the core strategy,” she said. “So when I arrived with my extensive trade background I immediately started looking at what opportunities there were for us to grow this part of the business.”
While Golds is clear the operator will remain predominantly consumer-facing, she hasn’t wasted any time putting together the foundations of her trade approach.
Rachel Healey, who worked with Golds at Travel 2 for many years, has been appointed to a newly created role of UK sales manager dedicated to the trade.
There are now dedicated trade destination experts in all six geographical sales departments.
These roles have been created by Golds to ensure agents who want to deal with A&K have knowledgeable and constant contacts within the operator.
The product range has been expanded to make some holidays more affordable, and agents that are Atol-bonded can deal directly with the company’s destination marketing companies (DMCs).
“We’re not right for everyone,” said Golds. “Our best asset is our brand but at times this can also be our barrier to sales as some people assume they can’t afford our holidays when in fact they can.
“Our product is still top-end but in some cases we have introduced accommodation that costs a bit less and made other parts of the trips, such as the amount of time with a guide, flexible.
“Clients still get the high-end, unique experience in resort but at a slightly lower price and I expect this to be useful to some travel agents.”
Golds said having DMCs in 60 countries was a unique selling point for A&K, adding: “It means that with our holidays there is a seamless approach as the entire infrastructure is our own.
“Those unique moments that make holidays memorable are provided by our staff and, because of our insider access, we don’t follow the crowd.”
A&K’s decision to enable agents to work directly with its DMCs gives them the chance to behave more like a tour operator and create their own margins.
“They lose the bells and whistles that come with booking through the tour operator and will need expertise to build the trip, but it’s a chance to work with us in a different way and work smarter.”
Golds will be meeting with a small number of agents in the new year to discuss what else would be helpful for the trade as she seeks to make this channel a more substantial part of the business.
In addition, A&K is planning a series of fam trips for 2014.
While it is clear A&K remains a consumer-facing brand, it is aiming to make sure those agents who do want to work with it have the support and flexibility to do so successfully.