OUR STORY
YAANA Ventures’ story begins in the early 90s, a pivotal time for Southeast Asia as geopolitical shifts saw the opening of tourism in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam after decades of war and isolation. Founder Willem Niemeijer started Khiri Travel offering travel services for Thailand and Indochina, with the four countries as one destination.
Over the next decades, the destination management company breaks ground in Myanmar, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Still, it continues to carry its founder’s DNA of a passion for exploration and sustainability.
Yet a restless spirit soon beckons Willem to expand his vision further, including the building of eco-lodges in some of the region’s most stunning locations.
As the dust settles on the latest expansions in hospitality, YAANA Ventures formed at the start of 2016. The company gives a home to Willem’s ventures. It creates a platform for new tourism, travel tech, and hospitality companies, united under the same vision and values, yet different in ambition and audacity.