This article originally
appeared in the February issue of AGENTatHOME magazine. Subscribe here to receive your free copy each month.
The name has changed but the product remains the same at Kensington – formerly Kensington Tours – as the tour operator’s parent company, Navigatr, decentralized its diverse travel companies. The rebranding, said Matt Cammaert, Kensington’s senior vice president of marketing and outside sales, is “an acknowledgement of how much the company has evolved over recent years” with new sub-brands and new lines of business.
Transformative Experiences
It also includes a theme, “See the World, Differently,” which “reinforces its vision of curating unforgettable private journeys for discerning travelers,” Cammaert said. “We want to put an emphasis on personalized, transformative experiences and we felt we needed to represent that visually on our website and other public representations to show that we create journeys that connect people with cultures.”
There is still a Kensington Tours, which is now a “sub-brand” of Kensington, along with Kensington Cruise (pre-and post-tours, and shore excursions), Kensington Villas (over 1,000 private villas with 24/7 support), Kensington Air (a dedicated team booking commercial air) and Kensington Private Jet (for booking private jets). Kensington Yachts is considered a separate business.
New Executive Team
With the rebranding came a new executive team to fortify the separation from the parent company, as well as to provide “clarity and focus,” Cammaert said. With Kensington being part of a large company that also operates a host agency network, a technology company, a retail group and a consortium, advisors gain the benefits of up-to-date technology and volume leverage, he added.
For advisors and their clients, Kensington’s products remain unchanged in the aftermath of the rebranding and restructuring. The preponderance of the operator’s market is couples, Cammaert said, but with a representative number of solo travelers and families, including small multigenerational groups. The profile of Kensington travelers are those “who see the world differently and want to craft and claim ownership of their trips,” he said.
Kensington features a diverse portfolio of Africa programs. Pictured, Kenya’s Masai Mara. (Source: Kensington Tours)
Experienced Destination Experts
That crafting begins with Kensington’s destination experts who are a significant differentiator. “We look at people who have experience in the industry and life history in a place,” Cammaert said. They must have lived, worked or studied in a destination they are selling, and attend the KT Academy, which involves three months of training in sales and in a destination.
On the ground, there are equally qualified Kensington team members who, for example, may have doctorates in history and who are able to guide guests around such attractions as the Colosseum in Rome, providing rich content. Or there might be a horticulturist conducting a gardening class. And if spouses wish to enjoy different experiences, that can be arranged – with each spouse going their own way for a period of time.
The company also offers a line of Ultraluxe itineraries. When an advisor considers a specific trip, they can see if it is labeled as Ultraluxe. And those options will include a variety of enhancements, such as skiing with a private instructor, more luxurious accommodations and more extensive cultural immersion.
Commitment to Advisors
With its restructuring, Kensington’s commitment to advisors has been stepped up, said SVP Matt Cammaert. Any trip can be labeled with the agency name – or Kensington, whichever the advisor prefers. If the agent requests it, a destination expert will participate in a three-way call with the client and advisor.
Kensington’s outside sales team doubled over a four-month period last year, reflecting a strong commitment to the advisor channel and ongoing investment in its growth.
Another differentiator for Kensington is that it is able to turn around a quote in hours – and the quote is guaranteed for a week, Cammaert said. Also, all trip components booked though Kensington – including experiences and shore excursions – are commissionable.
“Our advisor campaign is focused on how much we value the partnership,” he said.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
