Integrating Business Skills into ecotourism operations

EXPLORING THE ECOTOURISM POTENTIAL OF A SITE

Presented by:

Hamish Keith

KEY COMPONENTS•THE EXPERIENCE

•THE SITE

•THE HOST COMMUNITY

•YOU & YOUR TEAM

•YOUR BUSINESS PLAN

THE EXPERIENCE:

‘Every organisation has a sustainable travel tab on its website and everyone is finding a way to plant a tree or give back in some way. But the opportunity exists in not how to travel and give but how to create an experience that is both travel and responsible in its very essence.’

From PURE Life Experiences

The Experience•Are you delivering a valuable experience?

-What is experiential travel?-What does the consumer get out of it?

•What are your USPs?-How will you differentiate your product?

•Does it have the ‘stickiness factor’?

-How long will the novelty last?e.g. Akha Experience

•Will it attract repeat visitors?

-Factors to consider: Variety of experiences available, desire of clients to see progress, etc

THE SITE

“Involve people in the destination, the culture, the place with all its deficiencies and let them discover the beauty, the friends, the meaning that you have found”

Bernd Kolb, Riad Arayela

The Site

•What’s the Story?-An enticing story results in an enticing experience

•Location, location, location-Can people get there? Where will they stay?

•Are their adequate facilities?

-Waste management, water supply

THE PROJECT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

•Will your visitors affect the eco-system?

•What is the environmental impact?

•Can your project contribute to Biodiversity conservation?

•Can your project contribute to Cultural conservation?

THE HOST COMMUNITY

“ A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” Mohatma

Gandhi 

The Host Community

•Does it benefit the local community?

-How? Look beyond financial benefit

•How are the benefits shared?

-What is the split between you and the community?- What is the split within the community?

•What are possible negative impacts?

-Cultural Pollution-Creating culture of dependency-Diminished income streams rather than increased

The Host Community

•Do the locals really want tourism?

-Their enthusiasm will impact the customer experience

•What will be their participation level?

-How much will it intrude on their daily lives?-Are local non-participants supportive?

•What happens if you fail?-What financial and psychological impacts will it have on the locals?

YOU & YOUR TEAM

“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress., working together is success.”

Henry Ford

You & Your Team

•What are your skills and motivation? - Are you the key player? - Are you in it for the longhaul?

•Can you find the people you need to make it all work? - Where will you find your staff? - Do you have a workflow system? - Make sure you have a training plan?

•Factor in time and budgets for training.

YOUR BUSINESS PLAN:

“ A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.  It also has to make money.”

Richard Branson

Your Business Plan•Do a market survey to determine who your clients are

-•Is your product interesting for different markets?

-Applicable to Asian tourists as well as western?-

•Create an Organizational chart

•Do a SWOT Analysis

•Test your product in advance and adjust if necessary.

Your Business Plan•Identify Distribution Channels

-How and where are you going to sell your product?- Who can you partner with to help sell?

•Will it make a profit? Create a Profit + Loss analysis

-Don’t assume that bringing in tourists equates to profit-Have you identified all possible income streams?

•Competition Analysis-Who are your competitors?-What is the potential for future ‘copycat’ competitors?

WHAT REALLY WORKS

“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career . I've lost almost 300 games . 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed . I've failed over and over and over again in my life . And that is why I succeed ."

Michael Jordan

What Really Works?

•Understanding the trends-Being ahead of the curve- Deliver what people want

•Originality-New idea or new twist on a popular option-Being in the right place at the right time

•Be Flexible-Keep trying new things

•A Clear Vision-Know your goals and make sure they are realistic-Set a mission statement and communicate to all parties

Any Questions ?

Thank You !