53 | Kintetsu International Express (U.S.A.)

T0623KINTETSU_C_350x200 [Credit: Kintetsu International Express (U.S.A.)]
2025 sales: $328 million
Previous ranking: 54
Employees: 67 full-time

21241 S. Western Ave., Suite 280
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 525-1800
Website

Executives

PRESIDENT/CEO: Toru Shimizu
VP/PRESIDENT, KINTETSU INTERNATIONAL AMERICA (KIA): Stephen Yo
CFO: Masayoshi Ogawa
PRESIDENT, KINTETSU INTERNATIONAL HAWAII CO.: Takashi Suzuki
DIRECTOR, CORPORATE PLANNING & KIE HOTEL PROGRAM, KIA: William Sarcona
DIRECTOR, SALES & OPERATIONS, KIA: Hidemiki Hasegawa
DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS, KIA: Maki Hoshino
MANAGING DIRECTOR, INBOUND & MICE, KIA: Yasunobu Yonemoto

COMPANY FACTS

* Subsidiary of Tokyo public company KNT-CT Holdings. 
* Sells directly B2B, B2C. 
* Sales: 70% business, 25% MICE/inbound, 5% leisure.
* A member of ABC Global, CCRA, Travelsavers, CLIA, ASTA and Virtuoso. 

DEVELOPMENTS

* Launched kiSave, partnering with travel technology firm Oversee to deliver AI-powered air and hotel reshopping capabilities for corporate travel. 
* Neared completion of full NDC integration.
* Increased focus on the health and well-being of employees across all divisions.
* Aligned clients' travel policies with new trends, including sustainability, AI adoption and evolving demand.
* Re-evaluated loyalty programs and corporate agreements to maximize cost efficiency and perks.
* Embraced AI-powered management solutions for smarter booking and expense tracking.

LOOKING AHEAD

* Improving reporting analytics with more in-depth data tracking.
* Optimizing sustainability and reducing clients' carbon footprint with ecofriendly options. 
* Prioritizing traveler wellness and duty of care to maximize safety and comfort by offering advanced travel risk-assessment tools to meet rising concerns.
* Rolling out agentic AI and ChatGPT to manage bookings, support requests and improve efficiency.
* Balancing clients' cost-saving concerns with traveler satisfaction.
* Improving cost management by providing clients with analytics to reveal spending patterns and highlight areas where costs can be reduced without compromising quality.
* Offering clients real-time data to assess policy compliance.
* Seeking better understanding of what clients value to improve products and services.


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