Ker & Downey Africa has weathered the pandemic and continued to grow .

The destination management company has announced it is expanding with a new Russia & Eastern Europe division that will be led by Irina Jordaan.

“With the tourism sector being one of the most heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are incredibly proud of our resilient team for weathering the storm and continuing to drive business to Africa under the Ker & Downey Africa brand. A large part of our success in this challenging time is due to the existing geographic spread of our source markets and a resolute focus on the luxury traveler,” said Lee Kelsall, CEO of the Ker & Downey Africa Group.

The move into Russia and Eastern Europe is an important one as World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) identified the region as one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets prior to the pandemic.

“As we enter a new phase of tourism recovery, we see great scope for growth in emerging markets and have set our sights on the Russian and Eastern European markets,” said Kelsall.

The new division will leverage the reputation of Ker & Downey Africa, providing discerning travel agencies and boutique tour operators with the latest knowledge and dedicated training.

“The Russian and Eastern European markets are rapidly growing and an increasing number of luxury travel agencies and concierge services have opened to cater to the demands of high net worth individuals. This emerging market is hungry to explore new destinations with a desire for experiential travel that is tailored to their specific needs. Ker & Downey Africa’s vast experience serves as the perfect match for the emerging markets who might require more guidance when planning the perfect holiday to Africa,” said Jordaan.