Feasibility Analysis for Gecko Tours Together with Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation - Case Study Example

Executive Summary The paper which analyzes the feasibility analysis for Gecko Tours together with Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation has set up an eco tourism park in Northern Australia which is different from other traditional tourism venture. The analysis shows that the market analysis, situational analysis and operational aspect shows that Gecko tours has an opportunity of using the presently available resources as they can be successful through it. Working on a new venture and developing the required fundamentals through which the different needs will be made will ensure that the overall result will be achieved and the business will become feasible. Table of Contents Introduction 2 The Business Proposal 2 Situational Analysis 3 Market Analysis 7 Operational Aspect 9 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction Gecko Tours together with Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation is exploring an opportunity of setting an eco tourism venture in Katherine region which would look at providing the people with extra facilities and features to enhance their travel experience. The joint venture will aim at using the experience and expertise of Gecko Tours with the physical, cultural and other assets of Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation so that better results can be achieved. The combination would provide tourist with an experience which has never been thought off and will be developed based on the theme of nature based tourism which will multiply the experience. Feasibility study aims at examining the product and services and determines the fit based on the prevailing market situation. This paper will look at exploring the feasibility study for Gecko Tours by finding out whether the venture would be profitable one and the different areas which needs to be examined. The feasibility analysis will include the situational analysis, the market analysis and the operational analysis as the major constituent and will help to understand the manner in which the overall working condition will be identified. This will thereby help to develop and find out the manner in which the tourism industry will support the idea and the manner the entire plan will be a profitable one in the future. The Business Proposal The tourism proposal which looks to be carried out through the program will be aimed at the following so that better customer related services can be provided It will be a four wheel drive based tour which will look at linking the traditional system to the modern system and will provide modern amenities and services like sauna and spa A camp which will look to drive eco system by providing an opportunity to explore the eco system and look into the beautiful surroundings and eco venue so that satisfaction level gets enhanced (Ryan and Huyton. 2002) Developing an operation based on the Flora Nature Reserve which will aim at minimizing the use of carbons and using solar and other methods to generate power and creating an eco drive where people are able to visualize things which are different from the normal world Creation of a reservation area which will look to provide modern amenities and services like spa and will maximize the level of fun and enjoyment that people have by linking the different things so that people are better contend and satisfied The overall proposal for the tourism venture is thereby quite different and projects for an opportunity to be successful because providing customers with something different which looks at maximizing their satisfaction level will definitely have an impact on the people positively and will create an opportunity through which it will be successful. Situational Analysis The manner in which Gecko Tours is looking to revolutionize and make changes in the tourism industry by providing something additional which will act as a differentiating factor is an area which needs to be examined. The situational analysis through the identification of SWOT will help to chalk out a chart whether such a venture would be feasible or not and will act as a crucial juncture in the feasibility because it will set the future tone based on which performance will be determined. Strengths There are a number of strength which the new eco venture tourism which has been decided by Gecko Tours presents and are as There are no other similar or comparable tourism venture being carried out in Katherine and working in the dimension of integrating eco tourism with the modern world tourism requirement will provide different experience to the customers The venture which is between Gecko Tours and Wardhaman Aboriginal Corporation will provide an opportunity to use the strength of the each parties and will thereby foster a culture where working together and carrying out the project becomes feasible (Harney and Wositzky. 2005) Gecko Tours has been able to meet high industry standards through quality offerings, employees and hospitality which will get reflected in the new venture and will provide an opportunity through which the chances of being successful in the new venture will increase (Harney and Wositzky. 2005) The owner and the staff at Gecko Tours have wide experience in relation to vehicle based drive and activities like sauna and spa which will thereby help to develop the vicinity based on it and will provide quality services to its customers Gecko Tours has a strong brand image which will enable them to raise the required capital and provide the extensive know how through which the project will be completed in the desired manner. The tourism will provide customers with an opportunity to have access to Flora river which is a limited thing available in other places and provided by other tourism venture which will act as a differentiating factor and will help to attract people based on it (Harney and Wositzky. 2005) The physical attributes of the region is reach in diversity like flora, fauna, natural beauty and tranquillity which will help to make people find special peace and will create the urge through which more and more people will visit the place will ensure that the project becomes feasible. The availability of human resource will ensure that the local culture can be presented to the people and will help to maximize their overall relevance through mechanism which creates the required opportunity to serve the customers in a better way Weakness Some of the weakness which raises questions on the feasibility of the tourism venture are as Lack of proper infrastructure raises questions regarding the manner in which service delivery standards will be developed and needs to be developed so that better customer services can be enhanced (Harney and Wositzky. 2005) Being in a remote place the venture will face a number of disadvantage like increased cost of production, reduced competitiveness, limited access to skilled person, distance from markets and so on which could have an impediment in the manner service standards have been developed and determined by the industry The proposed tour venture is not the mainstream product and is something which needs to be developed so actual profits to incur might take a higher period of time thereby making the return on investment to be achieved at a much later period compared to other tourist venture (Harney and Wositzky. 2005) Opportunities The present venture despite the different backdrop provides numerous opportunities which needs to be analyzed and are as Tourism in North Australia has been growing at a rapid pace and will thereby provide an opportunity where if customers are provided with something new will attract more and more people There is an increase in the demand for nature based and indigenous tourist spots which looks at integrating traditional messages with modern one so that customer experiences gets enhanced International tourist has a preference for such tour venture will create an opportunity to tap a different segment and will create an opportunity through which better customer satisfaction will be guaranteed Proper accessibility links like planes, road and rail provides an opportunity to attract people from all around the globe and will thereby maximize the overall relevance of providing different services and developing the required path through which better customers can be attracted (Harney and Wositzky. 2005) Threats The venture provides a lot of different threats which needs to be examined and business process needs to be developed keeping those in mind. Some of the threats are as The tourism venture will be situated in a far off place so a slight change in the cost of fuel or prices will have a large impact on the overall cost of the trip and thereby impact the budget of people Marketing a destination which is situated at a far off place is risky and difficult which makes it an area susceptible to different risk which needs to be carefully monitored and examined (Harney and Wositzky. 2005) The tour market is highly competitive and the chances of people accepting something different in the tourism venture is unknown and needs to be checked so that plans can be developed based on it Thus the overall situational analysis present and highlights some of the important facts which needs to be examined and carried forward to understand the manner in which the tour venture will become feasible so that business strategies can be developed based on it. Market Analysis The present venture looks to move away from the traditional method through which tourism industry is developed and is indigenous and provides people with a completely different experience. Understanding the market and the opportunities it will provide will further help to find out whether such a move will be feasible or not and will help to develop the required parameters through which corrective decisions will be taken. While the flow of international tourist has been increasing in Australia the number of night tourist has been decreasing in the Northern territory of Australia at a rate of 4%. This is due to the lack of development of tourism industry and lack of marketing abilities which will bring forward the actual flora and fauna of the region so that people can be attracted towards it. This has been matched by the lack of infrastructure and direct flights from different places. The rail network has been developed but people hardly prefer it and look at flights for commuting between places. This is an aspect which is lacking and has decreased the flow of passengers despite the better opportunities that tourist will find in the northern region. Another factor which has impacted the growth of tourist in the region is the increased cost of travel. With fuel prices rising continuously the prices of the package travel is increasing. This has made it difficult for people to determine the budget and develop their plans and tour based on it. A string point about the Northern region is that people prefer outdoor activities and looks towards different natural fauna and beauty. This is an aspect which is widely present in the region and provides an opportunity through which Gecko Tours will be able to use that opportunity to being a complete transformation and develop their business based on the market conditions (Ryan and Huyton. 2000). The overall market condition shows a mixed bag where developing the infrastructure and promoting the same will help to attract people. Having something different which creates a niche market and provides an advantage as compared to others will help to create the required framework through which the different working condition will be determined (Wheelen and Hunger. 2000). The overall feasibility thereby depends on the manner in which the operational aspect is carried out and the manner in which the business looks at transforming the service level so that better customer satisfaction can be ensured and the overall framework which is based towards maximizing the customer experience can be achieved. Operational Aspect The operational aspect is one of the important determinant of identifying whether the tourism venture will be feasible and whether the business will be able to achieve the required feat. This will look into different dimensions and based on it will develop the required framework through which better productivity will be ensured and the entire working mechanism will be shaped. The operational aspect is as Operation Objective: Gecko Tours together with Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation is exploring an opportunity of setting an eco tourism venture in Katherine region which would look at providing the people with extra facilities and features to enhance their travel experience. The joint venture will aim at using the experience and expertise of Gecko Tours with the physical, cultural and other assets of Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation so that better results can be achieved. The combination would provide tourist with an experience which has never been thought off and will be developed based on the theme of nature based tourism which will multiply the experience (Fuller, Buultjens and Cummings. 2005) Location: The project will be set in the Northern territory of Australia in the Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation. The reason for choosing the location is the wide opportunity that the region provides due to natural fauna and increase in tourist. Further the region is untapped and creating a different venture which looks at maximizing the customer experience and provides them with something new and extra will act as a point through which better services will be established Premise: The project is looking to work on the joint venture basis so the premise will be provided by Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation. This will be on a leased basis and will look at developing the premise so that better service standards will be developed. The overall process of operational will be aimed at maximizing the returns for the customers and developing a framework which will multiply customer satisfaction. Services: Gecko Tours has been able to meet high industry standards through quality offerings, employees and hospitality which will get reflected in the new venture and will provide an opportunity through which the chances of being successful in the new venture will increase. In addition to it having an integration of the traditional method which will be aimed at culture and heritage with modern needs like spa and sauna will ensure better facilities. Further the entire premise will be developed in a manner which will use the best amenities and look at multiplying the experience so that customers are better satisfied. Layout: The layout has been developed in such a manner that if meets the different needs of the customers. Gecko Tours has been able to meet high industry standards through quality offerings, employees and hospitality which will get reflected in the new venture and will provide an opportunity through which the chances of being successful in the new venture will increase. In addition to it having an integration of the traditional method which will be aimed at culture and heritage with modern needs like spa and sauna will ensure better facilities. Further the entire premise will be developed in a manner which will use the best amenities and look at multiplying the experience so that customers are better satisfied (Wanganeen 2003). The layout is as Facilities: The facilities which will be provided is such that it meets international standards. Gecko Tours has been able to meet high industry standards through quality offerings, employees and hospitality which will get reflected in the new venture and will provide an opportunity through which the chances of being successful in the new venture will increase (Ryan and Huyton. 2001). In addition to it having an integration of the traditional method which will be aimed at culture and heritage with modern needs like spa and sauna will ensure better facilities. Further the entire premise will be developed in a manner which will use the best amenities and look at multiplying the experience so that customers are better satisfied. The availability of different facilities which are of the international standards will ensure that the project will be developed in a proper manner (Cairns and Harney. 2004). Remuneration: Gecko tours looks to compensate the employees based on the industry standards and will also contribute towards their super annotation funds so that the employees have the required sum after their retirement. The entire process of remunerating the employees and using the super annotation funds will provide an opportunity to ensure that they work according to the standards and provides correct salaries and perks to its employees. Maintenance: Gecko Tours looks to have the best maintenance where they will employ the international standards and ensure that all the facilities are kept up to date. The proposal will be such that the maintenance standards will have additional employees, equipments and things through which proper maintenance will be provided. This will help to ensure that the customers will be provided with all the facilities in the best manner (Weaver, 2001) Inventory Management: Gecko Tours has been able to meet high industry standards through having proper inventory management steps and will provide an opportunity through which the chances of being successful in the new venture will increase. This will be matched by having additional resources at the disposal so that if the business needs the required resources it can be provided and the overall framework can be developed. Seasonal Variation: Gecko Tours has been able to take care of the seasonal variations as they look to have off peak and peak prices. This will thereby help them t charge different prices and ensure that the price variations are taken care off. This has to be matched by the fact that the process looks at identifying the different facilities which will be provided during different season so that the overall service standards will be developed based on it. Legal & Regulatory Needs: Gecko Tours together with Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation is exploring an opportunity of setting an eco tourism venture in Katherine region which would look at providing the people with extra facilities and features to enhance their travel experience. This will thereby make the legal and regulatory requirements to be met by Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation and will ensure that all steps are taken through which the business will able to take decisions through which effective decisions will be taken (Buultjens, Waller, Graham and Carson. 2005). The business will ensure that the required licence, permission, adherence to social norms and other legal requirements with safety and fire is adhered to Employees: Gecko Tours together with Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation will be looking towards hiring people based on the local condition. The policy of the eco venture is to hire people from the local community so that it reflects the local culture and provides an opportunity through which the same can be reflected among people. The overall process will be further looked at ensuring that employees are talented and have the required skills to provide the highest level of service standards Training: Gecko Tours together with Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation will also look to provide regular and continuous training to its employees so that customer experience can be enhanced. The process of training will further look to match the international standards and will be developed keeping in mind the business needs Technical Feasibility: The technical feasibility shows that Gecko tours have the required resources which will enable them to provide quality services and will be able to achieve the desired objectives. Further the returns associated with the same surpasses the cost associated with it and will thereby help to provide an opportunity where the correct directives will be taken to compensate the people and achieve the overall goals Conclusion The paper thereby shows that the project being carried out by Gecko Tours together with Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation is feasible as it provides an opportunity through which the business will be able to create a niche market and develop the required fundamentals through which better services can be delivered. This will help to ensure that the business is able to develop a different fundamental and will be able to bring about a complete change through which better results will be achieved. Thus, the overall analysis shows that the project is feasible and will help to create a framework through which the business will be able to gain the required momentum and better results will be achieved. References Buultjens, J., Waller, I., Graham, S. and D., Carson. 2005. Public Sector Initiatives for Aboriginal Small Business Development in Tourism, in Ryan, C. (ed) Indigenous Tourism, Elsevier, New Zealand, 127-147 Cairns H. and B.Y., Harney. 2004. Dark Sparklers: Yidumduma’s Aboriginal Astronomy Northern Australia. 2nd printing. H.C.Cairns: Merimbula (NSW). Fuller, D., Buultjens, J. and E. Cummings. 2005. Ecotourism and indigenous micro-enterprise formation in northern Australia: opportunities and constraints. Tourism Management 26: 891-904. Harney B.Y. and J., Wositzky. 2005. Born under the Paperbark Tree. J.B.Brooks, Marlston (SA). Ryan C. and J., Huyton. 2000. Aboriginal tourism: A linear structural relations analysis of domestic and international tourist demand. International Journal of Tourism Research 2: 15-19. Ryan C. and J., Huyton. 2001. Who is interested in aboriginal tourism in the Northern Territory, Australia? A cluster analysis. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 8(1): 53-88. Ryan C. and J., Huyton. 2002. Tourists and aboriginal people. Annals of Tourism Research 29(3): 631-647. Wanganeen K. 2003. Ecotourism Opportunities for Indigenous Communities in Australia. Ecotourism Australia 11th National Conference 2003. Online at: http://ertr.tamu.edu/conferenceabstracts.cfm?abstractid=340 Weaver, D. 2001. Ecotourism. Milton QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd. Wheelen T.L. and J.D. Hunger. 2000. Strategic Management and Business Policy: Entering 21st Century Global Society (7th Ed). Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River New Jersey. Read More