Khiri Travel: Focus on Indonesia
Tuesday, 23 Dec, 2016
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Indonesia’s big push to promote tourism on the international stage is slowly beginning to reap rewards. On track to meet its initial goal of 12 million international tourist arrivals this year, the Indonesian tourism ministry’s strategy has thankfully moved away from the crowded beaches of Bali in an effort to disperse mass tourism and spread the trappings of tourism wealth around the archipelago.
It has outlined ambitious plans for 10 so-called ‘new Balis’- new tourism destinations being heavily promoted. The first steps are underway to improve infrastructure and connectivity (with attractive incentives for airlines) while ensuring sustainable development appropriate for each destination. It’s a noble philosophy and only time will tell if it remains true to its word.
Tourism leaders can perhaps learn a thing or two from the likes of Khiri Travel where responsible tourism is in its DNA. Travelmole recently sat down with Aini Wikamto, manager of Khiri Travel Indonesia Lombok branch, to discuss current trends in ecotourism and the company’s community based tour programs.
The Khiri Travel Indonesia story begins in 2014 following a merger with inbound operator Sunda Trails, which was established in 2002 offering individual and small group tours throughout the archipelago. "The most conspicuous change since the merger with Sunda Trails has been to improve back-end efficiency. Virtually all aspects of the booking process at Sunda Trails were done manually," said Aini who began working for Sunda Trails in 2006.
With Khiri’s network of offices throughout Southeast Asia and beyond, the automating of core functions was essential to remain competitive and to communicate effectively. However the core philosophy remains the same.
"We remain true to our values of sustainable tourism and supporting local people and homegrown businesses in the communities where we operate," she said.
Bringing about 10,000 customers to Asia each year, Khiri’s main market for Indonesia is Western Europe, especially the Netherlands, due to Khiri Travel’s strong relationship with the travel trade. The company has also made inroads in the UK and US markets and has sales agents based there.
The company has built its brand on the core values of sharing a passion for discovery through community based tourism. It has recently ended animal focused activities including bathing with elephants in Sumatra and dolphin spotting trips in Bali, following discussions with travel trade partners.
These eco-conscious credentials and commitment to responsible tourism have not gone unnoticed. Khiri has collected several awards in recent years including our very own TravelMole APAC Web Awards for ‘Best Responsible Tourism Website’ as well as the award for ‘Best Tours and Activities Website’ in 2014.
And this year saw Khiri Travel become the first fully-certified Travelife DMC in Indonesia to complement their work to improve the lives of the communities they work with.
While the group tour business is by its very nature, fairly regimented with set itineraries and few surprises, Khiri says it offers a higher level of customization than most. Even a standard program is tailor made down to an individual level.
"The trend now is personalization. Many people want to travel on their own terms and not necessarily do what everyone else does," Aini said.
Aini says the typical Khiri client is hard to pin down – there is a good mix in all segments and demographics. "We cover everyone, from low budget to high-end, including luxury adventure tours and student groups. We also have a sister company called GROUND that organises volunteer group travel. In Indonesia, for example we have social impact activities for volunteers in Bali and Yogyakarta."
Khiri covers many areas of Indonesia’s vast archipelago that few other comparable companies venture into and the eastern islands are a major focus including Lombok itself, Sumbawa, Flores and little known Sumba.
"We like to find our own signature experiences, something that travellers cannot find elsewhere," she says. These may include a day in the life of a Balinese artist or perhaps an open air cooking class in the heart of Lombok’s verdant rice fields. This local authenticity extends down the supply chain with an office manned by local staff members and contracts with hoteliers that are not just locally owned but strive to offer a unique local flavour.
Despite the burgeoning interest in destinations beyond Bali and state funded investment to develop tourism in the regions, Indonesia is still arguably the country with the most potential for community based ecotourism. Due to its geography, many far flung reaches of this beguiling island nation are unlikely to be touched by the trappings of mass tourism anytime soon. That’s where companies such as Khiri Travel, with their local knowhow, can make a difference with personalized, authentic travel experiences.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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