Abercrombie & Kent is exploring the possibility of an initial public offering (IPO) following a significant surge in luxury travel post-pandemic.

The parent company, Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group, has initiated discussions with banking partners regarding a potential stock market listing within the next 18 to 24 months. Executives are currently assessing whether to pursue a listing in New York, London, or another European market.

According to Cristina Levis, the group’s chief executive, “We are still putting everything on a scale to try to understand what’s the best market for us to list,” as she explained in an interview with The Telegraph.

While the final decision on the IPO location is yet to be made, Levis mentioned that New York is an appealing choice given that the company generates over half of its revenue from the United States. Several travel businesses, such as Viking Holdings, which specializes in luxury cruises, have successfully listed in New York this year.

Abercrombie & Kent’s origins date back to 1962, when Geoffrey Kent established safari tours and luxury camping experiences in Kenya. The company expanded rapidly, tapping into the growing number of tourists visiting Africa, and by the 1970s, it had extended its offerings to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and India. Today, the company provides luxurious travel experiences globally, including Arctic cruises.

Kent, 82, retains ownership alongside Heritage, a private equity firm based in Monaco and led by Italian entrepreneur Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio.

In 2022, the United States emerged as the largest market for the group, contributing sales of $268 million. The latest financial reports for Abercrombie & Kent Corp Limited revealed total revenues of $529 million, with a pre-tax profit of $22.2 million.

Recently, Abercrombie secured $500 million in financing from Citi, aimed at bolstering its luxury travel operations.

The potential IPO occurs against a backdrop of concerns regarding London’s ability to attract new listings, leading some companies to relocate their listings to New York or other European options like Paris. A notable case was Tui, the travel company, which in February opted to exit the London Stock Exchange in favor of a single listing in Frankfurt.

Abercrombie has capitalized on a resurgence in luxury travel following the easing of pandemic restrictions.

Levis, 43, remarked, “At the moment, demand is very strong, with obviously some exceptions regarding the situation in the Middle East. Our niche has always been very resilient. In the toughest moments, we have seen a continual increase in demand.”

The parent organization includes its flagship luxury travel operation, along with Crystal, a cruise line, Cox & Kings, a travel agency, and Sanctuary Retreats, which manages luxury lodges and safari camps in Africa.

Levis also expressed ambitions for the travel group’s potential IPO to position Abercrombie as “the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy of luxury experiential travel.”