Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group (AKTG) has restructured its trade sales leadership across the Americas, naming Debra Fox as Chief Sales Officer – Trade, while expanding the responsibilities of Matias Lira and Shawn Johnson.
“This structure allows us to deliver even more focused support to our trade partners than ever before,” said Fox, in a press statement. “We are elevating our already best-in-class trade sales organization through a strengthened structure and the joint leadership of Matias and Shawn, whose deep advisor expertise and clear focus on unlocking new sales opportunities will drive even greater value for our partners.”
AKTG Expansion
Fox now oversees global trade sales for all AKTG brands, including Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal, A&K Sanctuary, Cox & Kings and Ecoventura, reporting directly to CEO Cristina Levis. The reorganization aims to strengthen support while preserving each brand’s specialized expertise.
Lira continues as Senior Vice President of Trade Sales Americas, AKTG, with an expanded portfolio covering field trade sales for Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal and A&K Sanctuary. His responsibilities now include business development and MICE sales across these brands.
Johnson’s role as Senior Vice President of National Accounts, Trade Loyalty & Events, Americas, AKTG, has broadened to encompass trade loyalty and events for all AKTG brands. He will coordinate with Lira on transitioning the A&K field and inside sales teams. His position includes developing a new trade loyalty program and expanding AKTG’s trade events.
The leadership changes support significant portfolio growth. Abercrombie & Kent has launched new DMCs in several markets and added A&K Sanctuary properties: Gorilla Forest Lodge in Uganda, Pure Amazon riverboat in Peru and Baines’ Lodge in Botswana. The company’s recent brand refresh has increased engagement and bookings.
Crystal has returned to operation with Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony following multi-million-dollar refurbishments.
Crystal Grace, the line’s first new ocean ship in 25 years, will debut in May 2028. The 650-guest, all-suite vessel will feature extensive public areas, multiple dining venues and a high crew-to-guest ratio. AKTG has also secured financing to refurbish two additional ships, signaling continued expansion in the ocean cruise segment.
For more information, visit abercrombiekent.com.
