AKTG appoints Debra Fox as chief sales officer

Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group (AKTG) has appointed Debra Fox as chief sales officer to “lead global trade sales strategy”.

In her new role, Fox, who is currently the group’s managing director for the UK and APAC, will assume global responsibility for all trade sales across AKTG’s flagship brands, including Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal, A&K Sanctuary, Cox & Kings and Ecoventura.

Fox will continue to lead Abercrombie & Kent’s tour operating business in Australia and the UK.

The move “aligns AKTG’s sales team globally” and will see Fox report into chief executive Cristina Levis, with support from Jennifer Charlton, senior vice-president of trade sales UK/EMEA for A&K and managing director of Cox & Kings, and Luke Smith, vice-president of trade sales for Crystal, UK/EMEA.

Fox said: "This structure allows us to deliver even more focused support to our trade partners than ever before.

"We are building on the excellent foundations of our trade sales organisation in the UK with a clear focus on unlocking new sales opportunities across all our brands, to drive even greater value for our partners.”

The strengthened sales structure supports “unprecedented expansion” across the AKTG portfolio, which has seen Abercrombie & Kent acquire new DMCs in key markets and launch new product including A&K Sanctuary properties and a Pure Amazon riverboat in Peru.

Cox & Kings is also embarking on a “significant phase” of global expansion as it expands into the US and Australia, while Crystal looks ahead to the launch of its first new ocean ship in 25 years, Crystal Grace.