London, July 2024 – A&K's Akorn Cruise Destination Management (Akorn Cruise DMC), a global leader in luxury destination management, today announces a strategic reorganisation of its cruise DMC division, to further enhance its services and support its continued growth in this thriving sector.

As the world's largest network of luxury DMCs, with over 55 offices in more than 30 countries, Akorn is uniquely positioned to offer a seamless and exceptional cruise DMC experience, with services including shorex, pre & post programs, land programs and turnarounds to the world's leading cruise companies. The reorganisation aligns with the company's commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and expansion within the cruise industry.

Key changes to leadership roles within the cruise DMC team include:

1. Anthony Brent: previously based in the Australia office, Brent has relocated to the US to focus on building the cruise business in the USA and Canada, a key market for cruise DMC operations.
2. Paul Brunning: Formerly the head of Akorn Cruise DMC in Africa, Brunning will now lead the Australia and New Zealand offices, leveraging his extensive experience in cruise operations.
3. Marco Lertora: With a successful track record in growing and leading our cruise business in Morocco for the past 8 years, Lertora has taken up the challenge to expand our Akorn DMC Cruise handling in Europe and the UK, where we will be building cruise teams, covering product development and operations in our Spain, Italy and UK DMCs.
4. Patricia Alexandrou: Based in Cape Town, Alexandrou who joined the Africa Akorn Cruise team 2 years ago, will continue to manage our Africa Cruise team and we will be employing a Sales & Operational Africa Manager for the region to support her with Brunning’s move to Australia.
5. Rosy Catignani: Based in the Brazil office, Catignani has been promoted and is now overseeing cruise DMC operations across Latin America.
6. Toby Biddick: Based in the Chicago office, will continue as VP Worldwide Cruise Business, reporting to Rebecca Osman, SVP DMCs but will also work closer with the heads of the four DMC regions to ensure we deliver on our commitment.

In addition to the developments above, we still have the following people managing Cruise DMC operations in their region/country:

1. Karen Dawneyin Thailand across South East Asia
2. Andrew Landsberger in Sri Lanka across India and assisting in Sri Lanka
3. Ryan Lin in Hong Kong across North East Asia
4. Heba Matar in Egypt
5. Amr Elsadiin Jordan

These strategic moves underscore Akorn Cruise DMC's commitment to assembling a world-class team to drive its cruise DMC business forward. The company plans to focus on expanding its cruise DMC offerings in Europe and North America, building upon its established presence in other key markets.

Rebecca Osman, SVP DMCs at A&K, commented: "We are thrilled to announce this strategic reorganisation, which reflects our dedication to providing the highest quality experiences to our cruise partners and their guests. With a strengthened team and a clear vision for growth, we are confident in our ability to continue leading the luxury DMC market in the cruise sector."

About Akorn Destination Management

Akorn Destination Management (Akorn DMC) is the world's largest network of luxury destination management companies, with over 55 offices in more than 30 countries. Akorn DMC provides comprehensive destination management services, including shore excursions, transportation, event planning, and VIP services, to the world's leading cruise lines and luxury travel providers.

A&K Travel Group

James Treacy, Global Communications Director | [email protected] 

USA

Janice Yu | [email protected] 

Jean Fawcett | [email protected]

Australasia

Michelle Mickan | [email protected] 

About A&K Travel Group Ltd.

A&K Travel Group is a global lifestyle and travel company that sets the standard for refined and personalized travel experiences. These include Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal and Cox & Kings, as well as investments in other travel companies such as Habitas.