Badaling - Shisanling Party in the Wild - Business Plan Example

Research Paper Outline Insert Name Institution Instructor Date Table of Contents Introduction In China, tourism has a very huge role to play in the development (Especially economic development) of its regional communities. In return, these communities preserve a culture through their behaviors, buildings and dress codes which intrigues tourists. It is therefore quite prudent that these communities are made aware of the social and economic benefits that tourism brings to them and hence the need to preserve wildlife and promote sustainable tourism. The tourism industry in China is comprised of stakeholders such as the local communities, local and regional tourism organizations, and the local government. By working together, these stakeholders have the capacity to attract tourists, meet their expectations and satisfy their needs, and generate benefits such as economic benefits for the communities (Hardiman & Burgin, 2010). This event will be the first party in the wild to be held in the Badaling - Shisanling National Park and it will last for two days. The main aim of this event is to raise money for fencing the park to reduce human wildlife conflict, protect the main source of water for Beijing, and promote environmental conservation by discouraging logging, while at the same time promoting local and international tourism since the event will be broadcast live on the Chinese national television (Porter, 2010). Local celebrities will be invited to entertain the participants of the event. People will also get a chance to explore this park and be encouraged to be visiting it plus many others frequently. This event aims at raising close to 5,000,000 Chinese Yuan to kick start the fencing project. This money will be raised through ticket sales and corporate donations. This event also aims to strengthen the community spirit of the Beijing region and encourage the community to share their experiences with the visitors who are mostly tourists. Event Concept This event dubbed the Badaling - Shisanlin Party in the Wild is a two day event set for Saturday June 1st and Sunday June 2nd. On Saturday will be exclusively for teenagers and the youth while on Sunday will be a family day with lots of children’s activities. This event’s theme will be “Going wild, going green, and its nature’s turn!” The main reason for splitting the event into two days is to differentiate it and offer different forms of entertainment and activities suitable for the different audiences. Description of and rationale for event structure On Saturday, there will be music and for the young, photo sessions with celebrities, food and drinks on sale, talks on the roles of the youth in environmental sustainability, a tree planting session and a number of environmental inspired games with gifts to be won. There will also be free bus rides across the national park for the early comers to show them the effects of poor environmental practices on the park, courtesy of the Badaling - Shisanling National Park management. The youth will also be encouraged to be engaging in voluntary activities in the park when they are free so that they get to learn more about their environment and its value. The youth will be able to engage in activities and games they can relate with. Their ticket prices will be subsidized provided they have their student identity cards. On Sunday there will be bouncing castles and slides for the children, free candy and free entrance for every child accompanied by a guardian, a tree planting session, music, games, and a live band with a local group, a photo session, a talk about community involvement in environmental sustainability and a tour of the animal orphanage for interested parties. Parents will be encouraged to allow their children engage in tourism activities when they are free, and to educate their children on the importance of preserving the environment for the good of their future. The main objective of this event is to increase the involvement of the local communities which had been previously neglected. Some of the factors that this event will address in order to increase local community participation include; Lack of awareness and information about tourism due to lack of exposure into the industry. This is inclusive of theories, propaganda and suspicion that people were forcefully evicted from their pieces of land so that it could be utilized as a conservation area. It also includes the perception at the backs of people’s minds that tourism is only for the rich and middle class. Poor and negative attitudes from some sects of the tourism industry because they assume there is no value in local tourism or local tourism products. Lack of participation in the promotion and decision making regarding tourism and tourist activities in the region (TOURISM PROMOTION, 2007). The other objective is addressing the security concerns of the park such as poaching and logging. This will be done through raising money to fence the park and teaching the local community about community policing. Institutional fragmentation by bringing the different organizations interested in promoting tourism to work together. This will therefore consolidate the tourist brand in the region and reduce destructive competition. This will further promote partnerships between the private and public sectors and lead to the realization of a common vision for the tourism sector. Another objective is to position the Badaling - Shisanling region as a major global tourist destination through the advertisements and documentary. Other objectives are; addressing the issue of inadequate environmental management, infrastructure constraints, addressing the issue of tourism taking away resources meant or the needy in the community and increasing tourism influx into the region (Kassilly, 2003). Risk Assessment I did a risk assessment for this event in preparation of any unforeseen contingencies. In this assessment, I had to ensure I followed the management of health and safety regulations by only initiating activities that were appropriate for the different audiences that would attend the event, considering the special needs that have to be put in place to ensure the event goes smoothly, consider routes and modes of transport which can be used to access the venue. I invited the Red Cross team to the event so that in case of any medical emergencies they could handle it. I also chose the two days particularly because the weather would be sunny during the event hence managing to prepare adequately on what clothes to advice participants in the event to come with. I have also got volunteers who are conversant with different foreign languages such as French, German, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese so that we do not encounter the problem of language barrier during the event. Budget Resources Amount in Chinese Yuans Cash Donations Grant from local council 5,000 Contribution from the Wheat Belt Development commission 2,000 Contribution from the Conservation and Land Management 1,000 Contribution from the Avon Tourism Incorporation and Tourism Western China 1,000 Contribution from the Business Enterprise Center 1,700 Contribution from the Department of Agriculture 1,500 Subtotal: Cash Donations 12,200 In-Kind Donations Documentary by national broadcaster 2,200 Advertisements by radio stations 800 Advertisements by TV stations 1,500 Security, logistics & entertainment by the local government 2,500 Subtotal: In-Kind Donations 7,000 TOTAL RESOURCES 19,200 Expenses Advertisement Banners & Posters 1,000 Volunteer t-shirts 1,000 Subtotal: 2,000 Permits Banner Permit 250 Noise Permit 300 Park Permit 500 Subtotal: 1,050 Entertainment Clowns 1,000 Bands 2,000 Other Entertainment 1,000 Subtotal: 4,000 Others Catering Services 5,500 Gifts 3,000 Miscellaneous Expenses 1,000 Subtotal: 8,500 TOTAL EXPENSES 16,550 Sources over uses: 2,650 Stakeholders The potential market for this event includes the local residents who will be attracted by the prospect of coming to watch their local celebrities entertain them and in the process, getting to learn about the importance of this park as a tourist attraction and major source of water for China. Corporate organizations which are keen to establish an image as being committed to environmental sustainability have also offered to sponsor the event since it is for a good cause and also as part of their corporate social responsibilities. This event is quite feasible since before even touching the funds allocated for support of this event, numerous local celebrities have offered to perform free of charge since the event is for a good cause and the dilemma for the event organizers is to decide who will perform and who will not since time cannot allow all of them to possibly perform. The department of environmental change and climate through its agent the National Parks and Wildlife Services has offered the Badaling - Shisanling National Park venue for free. A couple of national TV and radio stations have offered to run advertisements of the event free of charge hence not even a single dime will be spent on advertisements (Magi & Nzama, 2009). Marketing and promotion strategies Advertisements will be aimed at the general population though some of them will be aimed at the youth specifically since environmental sustainability is for the good of their futures. All the forms of marketing will highlight the objectives of this event and the stakeholders involved. The bands and musicians that will perform will also be highlighted together with the entry charges and venue for the event. In a nutshell, the marketing strategy will follow the 5ps which are; product, price, place, public relations and positioning. With the advancements of Information and communication technology, this event intends to maximize the online platform by being advertised on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter and on the websites of the corporate sponsors (Taylor & Shanka, 2008). Some of the corporations that have accepted to advertise this event on their websites are; the Wheat Belt Development commission, the Department of Agriculture; Conservation and Land Management, Business Enterprise Center, Avon Tourism Incorporation and Tourism Western China. Posters will also be hung on major highways, plus advertisements on national television stations in China. T-shirts will also be printed for the volunteers to act as another advertisement means. This event will also take advantage of the public relations infrastructure of these corporations to boost attendance. Tickets to this event will also be sold at the sponsors’ place of business (Martensen, Grønholdt, Bendtsen & Jensen, 2007). Evaluation of potential impacts The potential impact of this event will be the increase in tourist activities in the Badaling - Shisanling National Park and as a result lead to the creation of more jobs in the park and around the region. This will lead to the creation of employment opportunities especially for the local community which will be given the first priority in case of such vacancies. There will also be increased and improved coexistence between the local community and the wildlife. Fencing the park and educating the community about community policing will most likely reduce activities that endanger the wildlife such as logging and poaching. A healthy coexistence between the local community and the national park will encourage the park management to allow local universities that major in tourism studies to use the park for their field studies. This event will also link the Badaling - Shisanling Region to the rest of the world and become a premier tourist destination renowned world over. Innovation and entrepreneurship will also increase through the emergence of more hotels, lodges and tour companies to cater for the ever increasing tourism needs. A boom in the tourist activities will lead to development of infrastructure in the region by the major investors, therefore benefitting the local communities by a great deal and boosting property value in the area (Felsenstein & Fleischer, 2003). Potential of festival to enhance destination image The Badaling - Shisanling National Park is located 81 kilometers from the capital city of China, Beijing. It seats in Badaling - Shisanling, Beijing and spreads over a total area of 268,987 hectares. Its peak is at Mount Werong while its foot is at Nepean River. It is known for tourist activities such as short and long walks, mountain biking, rock climbing, abseiling and canyoning. It is one of the most accessible wildernesses in China with an impressive ancient rainforest that is facing destruction from loggers (Weston, 2001). This festival aims to enhance the image of this destination by using the main tourist attraction in the advertisements. These are the great Badaling – Shisanling’s heritage area, Wallangambe River, Grose River, Cox River, Wollondilly River, Lake Burragorang, and Wentworth falls, black heath cliffs, and three sisters rock formation. Its unique wildlife includes; koalas, dingoes, red foxes feral cats and emu birds (Zarantonello & Schmitt, 2013). This venue was chosen to address the sharply declining number of tourist visits by the year and also to address the human wildlife conflict in parts of the park. Tourist visits in this park declined from 1.045 million in the year 1999 to 687,000 in the year 2008 and 563,000 in the year 2012 hence raising cause for alarm. These advertisements and the documentary of this park by the national broadcaster will advertise the uniqueness of the Badaling - Shisanling region and its conspicuous features and wildlife. Potential of festival to increase domestic tourism This event aims to promote local tourism through local empowerments and partnerships. This event will proactively communicate the benefits of tourism to members of the general community, councils and tourism stakeholders. The social, economic and environmental benefits of tourism in the region will be communicated through advertisements in national television and radio, in the newspapers, in the posters and flyers and also during e event itself. Attendants of the event will also be given booklets talking about the tourism development in the region and what the Chinese government is planning in terms of community involvement in the tourism sector. Local corporations will also be encouraged to be using the park for team building activities and work retreats. This way, employees of these corporations will develop the desire to be bringing their families the park on weekends and as a result boosting local tourism. The low income learners will come to realize that tourism is for every one and not just the rich and the middleclass as they earlier thought therefore increasing local tourist traffic in the area. Through the attendance of this event, people will become more aware of what the tourism industry has to offer, and they will also develop the desire to enjoy what foreigners travel long distances to come and enjoy. The integration of different tourism promoters will lead to the development of subsidized packages to the locals who want to visit the park and also to the students and the youths who offer voluntary services during their free time. As a result, the locals will become more interested and concerned about the tourist attractions in the areas they stay therefore boosting local tourism. Through this event, potential tourism stakeholders will also learn about the benefits of the local communities to the tourism sector and as a result drop their notion that local tourism is not valuable, and consequently develop community friendly packages which will encourage local tourism. Contribution of festival to local community development Despite raising money to put up electric fences in parts of the national park in order to reduce the human wildlife conflict that has been existing since time immemorial, this event will show the local community the importance of this national park to the Chinese tourism sector. Previously, there has been a lot of animosity from the local communities to the wildlife in this area. Local communities have been viewing this park as part of their ancestral land and therefore have engaged in logging activities which endanger the environment and wildlife while at times they have literally killed some wild animals because they trespassed into their farms or ranches and tampered with their livestock and farm produce. Proceeds from this event will therefore be used for fencing a part of the park which is adjacent to the local communities around the area to protect both wildlife and these people from loss and endangerment. It will also educate the local communities on the importance of this park to the tourism sector. The locals will also be educated about the importance of conserving the Wallangambe River and Wallangambe dam as the major sources of water in Beijing and its environs. The influx of tourists will also bring about cultural exchange. Stakeholder management plan This event will be placed on the council agenda of Beijing since the local government has agreed to be part and parcel of this event. The local government has always been actively involved in the development, planning and promotion of tourism, to ensure promotion of sustainable tourism and as a way of encouraging the local communities to be mindful of tourism activities and implications through council regulations and decisions. The local government is always up to task when it comes to developing and conserving the environment in order to improve the physical and spatial attributes of the region through environmental conservation. The local government therefore agreed to offer support without hesitation when we presented our goals which are to reduce logging in the national park and reduce the destruction of wildlife as a result of the human-wildlife conflict by fencing the park. The local government has therefore agreed to offer security, manage logistics and provide entertainment and communication equipment. The interests of the local government in this event are to ensure protection of the environment and its resources, and since this event is geared towards such, the local government has agreed to participate fully. Other stakeholders of this event are; the Wheat Belt Development commission, the Department of Agriculture; Conservation and Land Management, Business Enterprise Center, Avon Tourism Incorporation and Tourism Western China. All these strategic partners will advertise this event on their websites and further support the event financially or in kind. The interests of the Wheat Belt development commission is to quell the conflict between wildlife and the human life caused by the wild animals destroying crops in people’s farms. And since this event looks forward to fencing the park, the commission fully supports this cause. The conservation and land management is interested in stopping the logging problem which is destroying the rain forest. Business enterprise center is supporting this event as part of its corporate social responsibility as required by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP). Finally, the interests of Avon Tourism Incorporation and Tourism Western China are purely for the sake of increasing tourism traffic in the region. The national broadcaster has also promised to compile an emotional documentary about the national park, what it looked like before human interference and what it has now become, highlighting how wild animals have become homeless to the extent that some indigenous species are even facing extinction. This documentary will be aired in the television network and copies will be available for sale to the public at an affordable cost. Conclusion This event is therefore quite feasible since the partners have contributed a lot, the marketing strategy is comprehensive as it adopts both modern and traditional marketing techniques, such as use of posters, t-shirts and electronic means, and the budget are very workable. The resources available exceed the projected needs and partners have agreed to contribute in different ways to make it happen. Its objectives are also in line with the partners’ visions and their missions when it comes to promoting sustainable tourism and environmental sustainability. The goals for this event are also quite realistic and within reach therefore this event is bound to be quite a success. References: Porter, N. (2010). Experiencing contemporary 'nature': virtual and physical designed landscapes of the Badaling - Shisanlings, China. Technoetic Arts: A Journal Of Speculative Research, 8(2), 149-158. doi:10.1386/tear.8.2.149_1 Hardiman, N., & Burgin, S. (2010). Visit impacts and canyon management in the Badaling - Shisanlings, China: Canyoners' perspectives and wilderness management. Managing Leisure, 15(4), 264-278. doi:10.1080/13606719.2010.508667 Weston, S. (2001). Wentworth Falls, Badaling - Shisanlings National Park, Beijing. Chinese Geographic, (64), 128. Martensen, A., Grønholdt, L., Bendtsen, L., & Jensen, M. (2007). Application of a Model for the Effectiveness of Event Marketing. Journal Of Advertising Research, 47(3), 283-301. Zarantonello, L., & Schmitt, B. H. (2013). The impact of event marketing on brand equity. International Journal Of Advertising, 32(2), 255-280. doi:10.2501/IJA-32-2-255-280 Taylor, R., & Shanka, T. (2008). Cause for event: not-for-profit marketing through participant sports events. Journal Of Marketing Management, 24(9/10), 945-958. Felsenstein, D., & Fleischer, A. (2003). Local Festivals and Tourism Promotion: The Role of Public Assistance and Visitor Expenditure. Journal Of Travel Research, 41(4), 385. Magi, L., & Nzama, T. A. (2009). TOURISM STRATEGIES AND LOCAL COMMUNITY RESPONSES AROUND THE WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN KWAZULU-NATAL. South African Geographical Journal, 91(2), 94-102. Kassilly, F. (2003). Towards promotion of local tourism: The case of Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya. African Journal Of Ecology, 41(2), 187-189. doi:10.1046/j.0141-6707.2002.00352.x CHAPTER 48: TOURISM PROMOTION. (2007). Travel & Tourism Market Research Handbook (pp. 247-250). Read More