January 29, 2015
Land Rover and Abercrombie & Kent
Luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent and British automaker Land Rover are renewing their partnership to offer guests a refreshed list of seven self-driven, "off the beaten path" trips around the world.
The continuation of the collaboration across the brands will allow the program to gain deeper roots and generate more attention from interested guests. Integrating two like-minded brands with a long-standing partnership will allow Land Rover and Abercrombie & Kent to build upon previous trips to curate interesting and new options for consumers.
"Destinations for Land Rover Adventure Travel by Abercrombie & Kent feature a range of challenging off-road driving experiences from the deserts of Morocco to the waters of Botswana’s Okavango Delta," said Geoffrey Kent, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Kent.
"This new series of itineraries puts guests in the driver’s seat offering a rare opportunity to venture far off the beaten track, thanks to Land Rover’s full-terrain capabilities. Under the care of Land Rover Experience instructors, guests will challenge themselves by learning how to navigate dramatic landscapes across the globe."
Global roadtrips
Last year, British automaker Land Rover enhanced its position in the travel planning arena through a partnership with Abercrombie & Kent.
The two brands worked together on a number of travel packages that bring guests to landscapes that fit with Land Rover’s “off the beaten path” reputation. As luxury brands continue to evolve beyond specific categories into holistic arbiters of style, more players will likely enter the trip-planning sector (see story).
“Land Rover Adventure Travel by Abercrombie & Kent” presents guests with seven options this year.
Consumers can drive through the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana, drive and walk through the Australia’s terrains and travel Britain’s country side.
"Each brand benefits from the luxury pedigree of the other," said Karen Escalera, president at KWE Partners, Miami.
"Other auto companies have teamed up over the years with hotels and resorts to offer joint programs, especially off road driving schools for an afternoon or a day or two," she said.
"But this is a new departure that takes the partnership a step further in that travelers have an opportunity to experience the ride in a Land Rover over a more extended period of time. It’s an ideal sampling opportunity."
Abercrombie & Kent in Australia
"The launch of Land Rover Adventure Travel by Abercrombie and Kent offers guests the chance to explore spectacular global destinations from behind the wheel in Land Rover's state of the art all-terrain vehicles, with expert guidance from qualified Land Rover Experience instructors," said Marcelle Duncan, brand manager for Land Rover Experience.
"Guests will enjoy every creature comfort en-route, underpinned by the meticulous planning, local insight and seamless on the ground arrangements for which A&K is renowned," she said.
Each trip is planned and led by Abercrombie & Kent experts and lets guests test Land Rover vehicles on the rough terrain it is designed to endure.
In a branded statement Geoffrey Kent, founder, chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Kent said, “Drivers enjoy every creature comfort en route, all underpinned by the meticulous planning, local insight and seamless on-the-ground arrangements for which Abercrombie & Kent is renowned.”
Packages begin at $8,650 per person and includes the experience, accommodations and meals.
Experience luxury
Automobile enthusiasts seek a greater satisfaction with their favorite brands through experiences.
For instance, German automaker Mercedes-Benz provided multiple levels of training for off-road driving last summer for consumers and locals in the brand’s home country.
The events took place in Biberach, Germany, and present five levels of off-roading to appeal to beginner and skilled drivers. This event will likely boost consumer interest and attention from local towns and globally as consumers are informed about the other driving capabilities of their Mercedes-Benz and aspirational consumers are given the opportunity to engage with the brand and its vehicles (see story).
Also, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts released an ultimate driving experience at six of the brand’s locations that allowed guests to drive several luxury vehicles with a professional driver.
The program took place last fall at select Waldorf Astoria locations across the United States and allowed guests to gain firsthand experience with racecars from Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche. Since specific brands were featured, the brand might have attracted loyalists of the particular models (see story).
Partnerships with travel brands allow automakers to reach consumers in relaxed settings.
"The other obvious benefit will come from sharing databases and having joint events for past clients/customers which would be a natural marketing opportunity," Ms. Escalera said.
Final Take
Nancy Buckley, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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