Meet kimkim: An Itinerary Builder for Bespoke Travel

After a decade developing a reputation in the market for expert-led, customized travel planning, kimkim is breaking into the B2B market.

kimkim is a travel platform that specializes in delivering tailor-made itineraries, made possible through its innovative model that connects local travel experts to customers (and now travel advisors) for seamless and personalized trip planning. It is essentially a tech-enabled matchmaking platform created specifically for travelers who want a truly customized experience.

“It’s really an end-to-end solution… a full itinerary with hotels, activities, transportation, pricing — everything fully filled out into a beautiful itinerary the advisor can present to their traveler,” Yenyi Fu, chief operating officer, told Travel Market Report.

Seeing demand from the trade market, the tour operator is in the process of investing in support and resources to attract travel advisors. kimkim launched its travel advisor portal last fall and recently unveiled a new mobile app for itinerary management.

“Travel advisors were super excited by the local specialist network, the productivity tools we provide, and the in-destination support — we felt there was a great fit,” Fu said.

TMR interviewed Kimberly Stirdivant Wason, kimkim’s director of travel advisor partnerships, to learn more about the company and how travel advisors can benefit from using its services.

What are the services that kimkim offers travel advisors?

kimkim provides travel advisors with a powerful platform to design and deliver fully customized, bespoke trips by connecting them directly with vetted destination specialists on the ground. Advisors use kimkim to submit trip requests, collaborate with destination specialists, and build bespoke itineraries tailored to each client’s recognized preferences, pace, and interests.

Beyond itinerary design, kimkim supports advisors with destination expertise, logistics coordination, curated experiences, and end-to-end trip management, allowing advisors to focus on client relationships while leveraging trusted destination knowledge. Advisors maintain full ownership of the client relationship while benefiting from kimkim’s technology, global partner network, and operational support.

What are kimkim’s most popular products/destinations?

kimkim is especially strong in destinations where travelers want immersive, custom experiences rather than off-the-shelf tours. Popular regions include Iceland, Costa Rica, Morocco, Japan, Italy, Spain, and parts of Africa and Southeast Asia, places where local insight truly elevates the trip.

The most popular “products” aren’t fixed itineraries, but rather custom journeys such as multi-stop cultural trips, nature-forward adventures, family travel with logistical complexity, milestone celebrations, and experiential travel that blends must-see highlights with off-the-beaten-path moments. kimkim excels where personalization matters most.

What differentiates kimkim from other tour operators and DMCs? 

kimkim isn’t a traditional tour operator or a single DMC; it’s a technology-enabled platform that intelligently matches advisors with the right local expert for each trip. Instead of sending a request into a generic DMC inbox, advisors are paired with destination specialists based on trip style, region, and expertise.

This matchmaking approach, combined with kimkim’s collaborative planning platform, ensures higher-quality itineraries, faster turnarounds, and better alignment with client expectations. Advisors also benefit from transparency, flexibility, and the ability to shape every detail, without sacrificing operational reliability.

What is kimkim doing to support travel advisors in the U.S.?

kimkim is actively investing in the U.S. advisor community through education, incentives, and direct engagement. This includes webinars, destination training, advisor-only campaigns, trade events, and curated content designed to help advisors sell custom travel with confidence.

In addition, kimkim is expanding advisor-specific tools — such as itinerary-sharing functionality, improved client-facing presentations, and clearer distinctions between planning and traveler collaboration — all informed directly by advisor feedback. The focus is on making kimkim an easy, trusted extension of an advisor’s own business.

What are the best ways for travel advisors to partner with kimkim?

The best starting point is for advisors to register on the platform and begin submitting trip requests for destinations where they want strong local support. Advisors can then deepen the partnership by participating in webinars, destination spotlights, Wave Season campaigns, with other incentives coming soon.  

kimkim is looking to work closely with host agencies and advisor networks to make it easy for advisors to integrate kimkim into their existing workflow, whether they’re using it for select destinations or as a core solution for custom international travel.

What kind of client is a good fit for kimkim’s custom itineraries?

kimkim is ideal for clients who value personalization, authenticity, and expert insight over mass-market travel. These are travelers who want a trip designed for them, whether that means a carefully paced family itinerary, a honeymoon with unique experiences, or a multi-region journey that requires thoughtful planning.

Clients who appreciate collaboration, thoughtful design, and meaningful experiences, and who trust their advisor to curate something special, are the best fit. kimkim shines when the goal is to create a trip that feels intentional, seamless, and deeply connected to the destination.

kimkim looks forward to partnering with travel advisors to craft deeply personalized, one-of-a-kind journeys that reflect each client’s story, passions, and sense of discovery — experiences that go beyond great trips and are remembered long after they return home.