Khiri's History

Khiri Travel was founded in 1994 by Willem Niemeijer and Frans Betgem. The two travel industry professionals while travelling in Laos in 1989, when the country had just opened its doors to independent travel. Together, they combined Frans’ knowledge of Indochina and Willem’s entrepreneurial skills, to start Khiri Travel.

Khiri Travel was founded with the vision of the Mekong region as “four countries – one destination.” The cautious entrance of Laos into independent tourism was followed by Cambodia after its UN-led elections in 1992. Vietnam opened its doors to tourism when the US trade embargo was lifted in 1994. Thailand remains the leading gateway hub for the region, and still a stand-alone destination second to none. From the start, Khiri Travel has been a step ahead with innovative itineraries, combining several countries in one program by using land border crossings.