Kinnect | Pan-Africa Travel Experience

The Challenge

Travelers looking to explore Africa often face fragmented booking experiences. Kinnect aimed to solve this by aggregating flights, curated cultural experiences, and merchandise into one platform. The technical complexity involved integrating multiple disparate third-party APIs into a cohesive user journey.

The Solution

I led a team of 4 engineers to build a platform that personalizes travel based on "Traveler Types" (e.g., Thrill Seeker). We built a heavy integration layer to connect with global travel providers and e-commerce platforms.

Key Features

Complex Integrations: Seamlessly aggregated inventory from Viator (attractions), Expedia (travel/flights), and Shopify (merchandise store).
Personalization Engine: Developed a quiz algorithm to recommend itineraries based on user personality types.
Audit Logging: Built comprehensive audit logs in the admin panel for security and operational tracking.

Tech Stack

frontend: NextJS
backend: NestJS
database: MongoDB
infrastructure: GCP (Cloud run, Cloud build, CDN)

The Impact

Inventory Scale: Instantly expanded platform offerings to include thousands of global excursions via Viator integration, eliminating the need for manual partnership sourcing.
Conversion Optimization: The "Traveler Type" quiz feature increased user engagement by providing tailored recommendations rather than a generic feed.
Robust Logging: Enhanced system security and debugging speed by implementing detailed administrative audit trails.

Live Links

Kinnect Me To Africa