Technology, AI, and Clubs: Kepler Travel Takes on a New Dimension

Kristania Karci, Stéphane Michaut et Selim Kadhi lors de l'IFTM 2026 - Photo : AB

Aer Lingus

« To live happily, let us live hidden ». That’s a motto that suits Kepler Travel well.

Founded in 2014 by Sam Zribi and Selim Kadhi, the travel operator now records an annual turnover of €30 million and a net profit that has hovered in recent years around €1.5 million.

And yet, they are hardly ever in the spotlight. “We are a tour operator specialized in circuits, seaside stays and multi-destination combinations across the world. We work on white-label for mini-networks, coach operators, mass retailers, independent agencies, OTAs, etc.” says Sam Zribi, co-founder of the group and former head of the Tunisia-focused TO Amplitude (Amplitravel). “There, we are in very advanced negotiations with very large distribution networks.”

Kepler Travel, from DMC grouping to tour operator

To endure over time despite successive crises, the TO can notably rely on its model, a precursor for its era. “We did disintermediation before its time,” recalls Sam Zribi.

Originally, Kepler Travel is a consortium of several receptive DMCs. Our president, Selim Kadhi, managed to bring them on board to be able to offer agencies the right product at the fair price.

Brazil, then Costa Rica, Jordan, Oman, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Panama and finally the Mediterranean basin with Tunisia and Morocco… Kepler gradually expanded its reach worldwide, drawing in, on the other side, OTAs with packaged products offered at very favorable rates.

“We don’t take a margin on these products,” explains Selim Kadhi, president and co-founder of Kepler. “Our revenues come directly from the activity of the DMCs in which we are either shareholders or partners. Hence our strong operational mastery of price and product.”

New destinations in South America are expected to join the TO’s catalog soon.

Tailor-made products for every client

One of Kepler’s additional strengths, beyond competitive pricing, is its ability to offer differentiated products to each client, especially for groups or GIRs.

“Some fellow TOs have fallen into wholesale industrialization. They no longer have time for bespoke solutions. That’s why you see the same product in the mass market.

We, we try to target the distributor by creating for them their own circuit. We even have a dedicated team for bespoke services,

” notes Sam Zribi. “We have remained artisans.”

This is also the advantage of having teams on site. “We deliver within 24 hours. Moreover, with us the product manager is also the salesperson. He plays a forward-looking, production, and sales role. His end-to-end mastery is our strength, as his relationship with buyers across different networks is direct,” adds Sam Zribi.

Additionally, to always stay one step ahead in production, the B2B tour operator has set up an internal service charged with observing evolving client purchasing behavior: length of stays, booking lead times, etc.

In total, Kepler employs about ten people at its Paris headquarters, across the air, commercial and management areas. Support functions — back office, call center, collections — are located abroad.

Today, the TO counts between 200 and 300 partner agencies. “We work well with coach operators because we offer departures from the provinces,” adds the co-founder. Kepler is also known in the French-speaking markets — Belgium and Switzerland — as it offers departures from Geneva and Brussels.

A cutting-edge technology tool

Another strong point of the travel operator: its technology. “During Covid, we developed our tool to become one of the best on the market,” comments Kristania Karci, Deputy General Manager in charge of commercial and production at Kepler.

Today, we sell highly dynamic packages with transfers, land arrangements (i.e., hotel stays), and air travel, all while being connected to five airline APIs simultaneously. We have also recently become NDC.

It should be noted that on the air side, the TO charters flights during the summer, notably to Tunisia.

The next project concerns artificial intelligence. “We believe that within 5 to 10 years, the model of the classic tour operating, with strong commitments to air and land, will wear out. The upcoming Generation Z consumes in a different way. So, to keep the customer at the heart of our strategy, we have surrounded ourselves with the best in technical and IT. We are developing our own AI to automate as much as possible our sales processes,” continues Kristania Karci.

“We are a classic TO with the tools of tomorrow,” she sums up.

Kepler launches its wellness-focused club concept

Beyond its TO activity, Kepler also runs a travel agency in Palaiseau (91). There, it markets, among other things, ferry crossings to the Maghreb.

But the big novelty remains the launch of the first vacation club made by Kepler, entirely dedicated to well-being. Opened on July 1, within the Yadis Djerba 5-star, the Oléo Experience Family club offers a premium experience designed around family, well-being, and local immersion.

On the program: daily yoga, parent-child activities, sensory experiences, culinary workshops, and discovery of Tunisian culture.

“We have been working on this project for two years,” notes Kristania Karci. “Tunisia being ranked the second destination for thalassotherapy after France, we know they have the know-how to help us launch this new brand, which our distributor clients have asked us for,” adds Selim Kadhi.

After Djerba, the group already intends to position its Oléo brand in other countries, “by partnering with brands such as Iberostar, Magic Life (TUI), Melia,” lists the TO’s co-founder.

With all these projects on the drawing board, Kepler Travel has decided to recruit a familiar figure from the agencies to gain visibility. For a little over a month, Stéphane Michaut (formerly Naar Voyages) has been named Director of BtoB Development.

“Kepler has all the makings of a great company: solid production, technology that truly stands up, an adapted business model, and above all people who know their trade to the tip of their fingers,” summarizes the new director. It is now his mission to attract new distributors!

Amara Nambinga

I write about tourism, culture, and emerging destinations with a Namibian perspective. Through my articles, I try to highlight the places, people, and travel stories that show how Africa and the wider world are changing.

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