Luxury destination management company, Ker & Downey (K&D) Africa DMC, is expanding into emerging markets with the launch of its new Russia and Eastern Europe division.

“With the tourism sector being one of the most heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are incredibly proud of our resilient team for weathering the storm and continuing to drive business to Africa under the K&D Africa brand. A large part of our success in this challenging time is due to the existing geographic spread of our source markets and a resolute focus on the luxury traveller,” says Lee Kelsall, CEO of the Ker & Downey Africa Group.

“As we enter a new phase of tourism recovery, we see great scope for growth in emerging markets,” he says, pointing to World Tourism Organization figures showing that, prior to the pandemic, the Russian Federation was one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets.

In a study by the Russian Marketing and Advertising Group, Russia’s expenditure on international travel grew by 16% in 2018, maintaining eighth position in the world.

Kelsall notes that the Russian and Eastern European markets are rapidly growing and an increasing number of luxury travel agencies and concierge services have opened to cater for the demands of high-nett-worth individuals.

“This emerging market is hungry to explore new destinations with a desire for experiential travel that is tailored to their specific needs. Ker & Downey Africa’s vast experience serves as the perfect match for the emerging markets who might require more guidance when planning their holiday to Africa,” says Irina Jordaan, newly appointed General Manager, Russia and Eastern Europe. Jordaan is based in Cape Town and has over 15 years’ experience in the luxury travel industry.