Ker and Downey
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersKaty, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Ker and Downey firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ker and Downey
- Legal name
- Travel Marketing Services, Inc. d/b/a Ker & Downey
- Website
- https://kerdowney.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ker and Downey industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Luxury Travel Services
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (56152), Travel Agencies (561510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Concierge & Luxury Personal Itinerary Design (THAKAOAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Custom Itinerary Planning with Booking & Fulfillment (Full-Service) (THAKAOAO), Bespoke Multi-Day Itinerary Planning & Custom Tour Design (THAJALAB), Adventure & Expedition Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAC), Luxury Cruise + Land Expedition Operators (Cruise-Tour Programs) (THAEABAH)
Keywords
Where Ker and Downey is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Katy
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ker and Downey business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Travel Design and Planning Services: Ker & Downey generates revenue through travel design and planning fees. They charge a non-refundable design fee of $500 for first-time travelers or travel agents, and $1,000 for bookings during holiday seasons (December 15 to January 15) or within 60 days of initial inquiry. This fee is applied as a credit when the trip confirms.
- Travel Booking Commissions: As a travel agency, Ker & Downey earns commissions from bookings made with suppliers including airlines, hotels, cruise lines, safari camps, and tour operators. The company acts as an agent for disclosed principal suppliers and receives commissions on transactions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Southern Africa pricing ranges from $800-$2,000 per person per day depending on season |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Antarctica pricing ranges from $1,500-$3,000 per person per day |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Southeast Asia pricing ranges from $1,000-$1,500 per person per day |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Southern Europe pricing ranges from $1,000-$2,000 per person per day |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Design fee of $500-$1,000 for trip planning |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Ker and Downey product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ker & Downey designs and books custom luxury international travel itineraries, with particular depth in African safaris and exotic destinations. The company sells primarily through a global network of travel advisors and agents rather than direct to consumers, earning revenue from design fees and travel booking commissions.
Product overview
Ker & Downey World Travel operates as a luxury travel design company offering custom-crafted travel experiences rather than a traditional software product. The core offering is personalized luxury travel planning through direct consultation, creating bespoke itineraries tailored to individual traveler preferences. The product portfolio centers on the custom travel planning service, supported by QUEST Magazine (luxury travel publication), the Ker & Downey Foundation (philanthropic initiatives), and a mobile application for travelers. Tour packages span geographic destinations including Africa (safari packages, Botswana camps like Shinde), Southeast Asia, Antarctica, Europe, and South America, with sample itineraries such as the Africa Luxury Safari Packages (13-day multi-country safaris), Southeast Asia Tour Packages (16-day Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand), Antarctica Fly-Cruise Adventure (13-day), Albania Luxury Tours (10-day), Classic Antarctica Cruise (15-day), Thailand Luxury Vacation (11-day), Private South Africa Trips (13-day), and Zambia Walking Safari (10-day). The company functions as a travel agency creating individual journeys rather than a standardized product platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- QUEST Magazine: The luxury magazine for world travelers, featuring eye-opening content on global culture, philanthropy, and transformative travel experiences
- Ker & Downey Foundation
- Ker & Downey Travel Resources
Products and services
- Custom Luxury Safari Travel Bespoke, fully-designed luxury safari itineraries to Africa (Botswana, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia) and other exotic destinations, sold exclusively through a global network of travel advisors for high-net-worth travelers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40+ years of continuous operation in luxury travel
Companies that use Ker and Downey
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ker and Downey technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Ker and Downey partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Bana ba LetsatstiminorKer & Downey has partnered with Bana ba Letsatsti, a community organization, to help build a new classroom block in Botswana. This is part of the company's commitment to conservation and community initiatives in the destinations they serve.
- Allianz Global AssistanceminorKer & Downey offers access to Allianz travel insurance as an optional add-on service for clients. The insurance covers trip cancellation, medical emergency, evacuation, baggage, and other travel-related protections.
- AmazonminorKer & Downey operates an Amazon Associate storefront, earning commissions on travel gear, books, and product recommendations. The storefront features safari packing guides, travel accessories, and book recommendations.
- The Wander ClubminorKer & Downey features The Wander Club in their shop, a charitable retailer where travelers can purchase engraved tokens and wanderchains, with a meal donated to orphaned children abroad for each purchase.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ker and Downey competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- &Beyond: Luxury safari and experiential travel company operating its own lodge portfolio and designing bespoke Africa and Asia itineraries. Comparable to Ker & Downey in luxury segment, custom journey design, and global destination coverage.
- Abercrombie & Kent: A long-established luxury travel designer offering custom, high-end itineraries across the globe with strong safari and expedition programs. Closely comparable to Ker & Downey in target customer, concierge-style service, and supplier commission model.
- African Travel Inc. Luxury Africa tour operator offering custom and small-group safaris across the continent. Comparable to Ker & Downey in core Africa heritage, customer segment, and commission-based travel agent distribution.
- TCS World Travel: Luxury private-jet and expedition travel company offering fully customized multi-continent itineraries for high-net-worth clients. Similar in customer profile, custom design model, and expedition product lines including Antarctica.
- Quark Expeditions: Specialist in polar expedition cruises, including Antarctica fly-cruise programs that overlap directly with Ker & Downey's Antarctica offerings. Comparable in high-end expedition customer base and supplier partnership model.
- Travel Beyond: Boutique luxury travel agency designing custom itineraries, particularly to Africa and other high-end destinations. Comparable in consultant-led custom design, supplier relationships, and travel-advisor distribution.
- Micato Safaris: Family-owned luxury safari operator with deep Africa expertise and a similar high-touch, consultant-led planning model. Comparable to Ker & Downey in pricing tier, customer profile, and curated journey design.
Broad incumbents
- Lindblad Expeditions: Established expedition cruise operator with broader itineraries and scale, including Antarctica. Comparable in expedition product overlap, though its model is more cruise-centric versus Ker & Downey's concierge design approach.
Regional players
- Wilderness Safaris: Owner-operator of high-end safari camps across Africa with regional focus. Comparable in luxury Africa product overlap, supplier relationship dynamics, and HNW customer base, though primarily an operator rather than a designer.
Emerging players
- Extraordinary Journeys: Smaller luxury safari specialist with strong Africa focus and customized itineraries. Comparable in core product segment and customer profile, though smaller in scale and geographic coverage than Ker & Downey.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ker and Downey social profiles
Digital presenceKer and Downey financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ker and Downey leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ker and Downey funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ker and Downey M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ker and Downey
What does Ker and Downey do?
Ker & Downey designs and books custom luxury international travel itineraries, with particular depth in African safaris and exotic destinations. The company sells primarily through a global network of travel advisors and agents rather than direct to consumers, earning revenue from design fees and travel booking commissions.
Is Ker and Downey a public or private company?
Ker and Downey is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Ker and Downey founded?
Ker and Downey was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ker and Downey based?
Ker and Downey is headquartered in Katy, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ker and Downey make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Travel Design and Planning Services are the primary driver. The others are travel Booking Commissions.
Who are Ker and Downey's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are &Beyond, Abercrombie & Kent, African Travel Inc., TCS World Travel, Quark Expeditions, Travel Beyond and Micato Safaris. Lindblad Expeditions is listed as a broad incumbent. Wilderness Safaris is listed as a regional player. Extraordinary Journeys is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ker and Downey have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ker and Downey.
What industry is Ker and Downey in?
Ker and Downey's product category is Luxury Travel Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKAOAB, Concierge & Luxury Personal Itinerary Design, with a secondary code of THAKAOAO, Custom Itinerary Planning with Booking & Fulfillment (Full-Service). Its NAICS code is 56152.