Face-to-Face: Willem Niemeijer - Managing Director, Khiri Travel
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1) There are many operators offering tours in Indochina. What differentiates the products offered by Khiri?
Khiri combines all the countries of the Mekong region with overland travel options, for all market segments. We are present on the ‘overland trails’ with our small-group adventures. We cross-use our experience for the high-end market, as unique experiences is what an increasing number of people are after, not just flying from one 5-star hotel to the next.
2) What are the up & coming destinations in Indochina do you believe will rise in the next 5-10 years?
Southern Laos, as it is on the cross roads of Cambodia and Vietnam. Already now, infrastructure is not bad, as Pakse International Airport has connections to Bangkok and Siem Reap. This will only improve. The natural and historical sights of the region are unique. Tourism in Northwestern Vietnam and will also benefit of better infrastructure in the future.
3) How much have the problems in Thailand, and on the Thai-Cambodian border, affected Khiri?
We have had worried clients, but so far no cancellations. We fear it will have a negative impact on future bookings if not resolved soon. The situation is quite difficult to explain, which does not help. It is a long-running problem that rears its head from time to time. We are optimistic that reason will prevail over emotion, as it did so many times before in this case.
4) With the region’s tourism industry so dynamic and ever-changing, what challenges do you face in keeping relationships with suppliers and offering customers the best possible products?
There is a disparity between the hotel capacities in different locations. The Mekong region is rightly promoted as “4-country-1-destination”. While some locations have almost a hotel room glut, there are bottlenecks in not-to-be-missed locations such as Luang Prabang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. At the same time, care should be taken not to over-develop.
5) What developments are we likely to see from Khiri in the coming 12 months?
Our three business developments teams: Naga, Lotus and Gold teams will create a platform for further growth, without losing the personal touch we give to all of our clients and our products. Naga team has an exciting, cost-effective FIT product, Lotus is specialized in adventurous small-group travel and Gold takes care of our high-end clients. Furthermore, we are developing more products that involve our signature overland travel products and plan to market our products in emerging markets.
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