KHIRI Travel has opened its second office in the Philippines, in the Escolta Street heritage area in Manila. The new Khiri Manila office becomes the DMC’s 20th in Southeast Asia.
The move follows the opening of Khiri’s first Philippines office in Cebu in September 2024.
The new Manila office is located in the 1928 art-deco-inspired Perez-Samanillo Building, now called the First United Building. The interior of the property has been refurbished for modern office use. The refurbishment won the Malasakit Gran Prix Award at the 2024 Good Design Philippines.
A blessing ceremony for the new office was held on July 28. Reverend Father Jesus Malit performed the dedication, which was attended by Khiri Travel Manila staff led by their general manager Nadi Win.
Khiri Travel CEO and founder Willem Niemeijer and parent company YAANA Ventures’ Chief Financial Officer, Mark Remijan, also attended.
Nadi said Khiri’s new Manila office would facilitate tourism growth, particularly in the Manila and Luzon regions of the country.
“There are major improvements at Manila international airport where most of Khiri’s guests enter and leave the destination,” she said.
“With our stronger presence in the capital, we will be able to better support our partners and travelers, strengthen coordination with hotels, guides and transport providers.”
She said the new office would help Khiri Travel further develop cultural, heritage, culinary, and nature-based experiences across Manila and the wider Luzon region.
According to the Philippines Statistics Authority, tourism generated US$38.1bn (₱2.35 trillion) for the Philippine economy in 2024. Tourism accounted for 8.1% of GDP in 2025. The country attracted 5.94 million foreign tourist arrivals last year, down from the peak of 8.26 million in 2019.
Richard Ludwig, Khiri Travel, vice president – commercial, said: “Opening our Manila office demonstrates our commitment to becoming the best DMC in the Philippines. By investing in our local team and presence, we can give our partners the confidence and support they need to grow their business here.”
Outside the new Khiri Travel office, the surrounding Escolta and Binondo heritage districts are known for their Chinese-Filipino heritage, temples, churches, traditional shops and historic streets. The First United Building has become a symbol of the revival of Manila’s historically significant downtown area.
