Ker & Downey® Africa > Agent Zone > Latin America Destination Management Company
About Ker & Downey® Africa Latin America DMC
Ker & Downey® Africa DMC services luxury agencies and boutique tour operators in Latin America. Based in both Cape Town, and Santiago, our Brazilian team offers the highest standard of services to our agents and their clients. Our team consists of General Manager, Renata Ferreira, Travel Consultant, Leonarod Chi, both based in Santiago, and our South African-based Operations Manager, Paulo Florencio. Paulo is joined in Cape Town by Maria Furtado our trustworthy Travel Assistant.
We specialize in high-end safari destinations in both Southern and East Africa, namely South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. In addition to these countries, we also specialize in Indian Ocean Island destinations such as Mauritius, Seychelles, Mozambique and Madagascar.
Our dedicated team are experts in delivering bespoke itineraries to our agents and their high net worth clients as a result of our extensive product and destination knowledge.
Our story
In the late 70s, Jeffrey Squire’s passion for Africa set in motion the successful journey of Ker & Downey® Africa. While captaining the Welsh rugby team, Jeff traveled between Wales and South Africa, exposing him to the uniqueness of the country and the potential growth that the African tourism industry had.
The story of his career is iconic, having worked for Orient Express in the early 90s and building their Safari brand (nowadays known as Belmond Safaris), Jeff was headhunted and continued his career working directly with Geoffrey Kent as the head of Southern Africa Operations for Abercrombie & Kent. During this time he managed the opening of the Sanctuary Lodges in Botswana before transferring to their offices in London.
Jeff was determined to return to Africa and founded Thebe Tourism Group in 2002 who purchased the majority shareholding in the Ker & Downey Group in 2003. Having sold his interest in Thebe Tourism Group, Jeff set his focus on building Ker & Downey® Africa into the leading Luxury African DMC it is today.
Our services
01. Latin American Team Based in Cape Town, São Paulo & Santiago
We work in small teams of 4 or 5 experts per region/market. The teams are made up of world-class experts who have spent time in or are from their regional market and can, therefore, speak the language and have a deep understanding of the specific demands and expectations of clients from that market. We have an in-market specialist in Brazil, so that we can be contacted in office hours during the timezone of our agents.
02. Personalised Attention
We offer the best personalised service in the market due to our in-country and on-the-ground concierge structure.
03. Original Itinerary Designs & Independent
Everything we do is tailor-made and personalised according to your clients’ profile and expectations. We have a proven formula for success which involves a very detailed conversation at the outset about your clients and what they really want to see and experience during the trip, so we can come up with a unique and life-changing itinerary that fits their profile and delivers a 10/10 experience for you and your client. We are an independent DMC, so we can combine and offer different brands on the same trip, always looking for what’s best for your clients profile.
04. White-Label Solution
We are a white-label company and we never promote ourselves to your clients. We always introduce ourselves to your clients as your partner in Africa. Any documents that we share with your clients will have your logo on it. In East Africa, our safari vehicles will be branded with your logo on the side as well as your logo on the wheel cover, gift boxes and guide uniforms. In Southern Africa, all materials and documents and gifts will have your logo on it. If your clients are travelling to/through Cape Town, the transfer vehicles and day tour vehicles will have your discreet branding.
05. World Class Training Support
We offer regular customised exclusive training for our agent’s and their team. We have a treasure trove of sales and marketing materials designed to help our agent’s guide their client’s choices in and around Africa.
Why book with us
Meet Renata Ferreira – General Manager, Latin America
Renata joined our stellar Latin America team in 2021 and brings with her an incomparable wealth of 23 years of experience in the tourism industry. Being based in Chile, she has a deep love for her Latin American roots and also a passionate appreciation for the beauty and magic of Africa. Renata and her team are focused on creating personal experiences for travelers to discover and explore more of the African continent through engaging and memorable journeys. Renata loves exploring and has traveled to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, and an incredible seven times to South Africa.
Top destinations
We specialise in ground-handling services across Southern and East Africa.
Botswana
With a combination of flood plains, semi-desert bush, saltpans and expansive savannah grasslands, you are guaranteed to encounter a wide range of wildlife in Botswana.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe offers remarkable encounters with both people and wildlife. The cities are vibrant and the parks and reserves take you off-the-beaten-track to discover rugged wilderness.
South Africa
South Africa didn’t become the tourist hotspot of Africa by accident. It literally has it all – world class wildlife encounters, pristine beaches, buzzing cities and epic thrills.
Tanzania
Tanzania is home to the great migration, Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro crater and the Serengeti – proving exactly why this destination is popular globally as a wildlife and safari must see.
Uganda
Uganda is the gorilla trekking destination for the adventurous and fit. Steep climbs and beautiful valleys reward you with incredible mountain gorilla encounters.
Rwanda
The 3 major national parks of Rwanda offer up an incredible diversity of potential wildlife encounters, from the big game on safari to the 13 species of primates in the forests.
Namibia
Namibia is the land of a thousand landscapes. From the famous dunes of Swakopmund to the the beautiful ocean views along the Skeleton coast, if you’re looking for adventure – this is the place.
Zambia
Zambia offers up some of the best game viewing in Africa, which, combined with the remote and rugged landscapes of the National Parks provides an experience unlike any other destination.
Kenya
Venture into the heart of Africa, where wilderness safaris originated. Kenya boasts culture, adventure and wildlife experiences that are unique in comparison to any other African or global destination.
Seychelles
With granite boulder shorelines, dense island rainforests and vibrant coral reefs, our Seychelles luxury trips are hard to beat for an island getaway.
Mozambique
Beckoning to the seasoned traveler, Mozambique’s remote islands, and untamed national parks offer the perfect combination for a beach and bush safari.
Mauritius
A volcanic island off the east coast of Africa, Mauritius has long lured travelers to its pristine beaches and sapphire waters.
Thank you for your interest in our services. To help us tailor-make that exceptional itinerary your clients are dreaming of, please complete the short form below.
