This is one of the islands of the Lesser Sunda Islands located in the eastern part of Indonesia. It is bordered to the east by Sumbawa and the Komodo islands, to the west by the Solor Islands and the Alor Archipelago, to the south by Timor and the Sumba island, and to the north by Sulawesi. With the Komodo Islands inclusive, the land mass is over 15,000 square kilometers. Having a population of over a million people, the biggest cities in the country are Maumere and Ende. The island nation is the 10th largest among all islands in the Indonesian territory.
The economy of the country
The main economic industries in the country are agriculture, fishing, and seaweed production. Though, the economy depends greatly on its agricultural products. The island is one of the latest sources of Indonesian coffee, presently in demand for its heavy body and sweet chocolate, floral and woody notes.
Tourism on the Island
In terms of tourism, this island country stands out. Its most popular tourist attraction is the 1,639-metre-high Kelimutu volcano, having three colored lakes, situated in the district of Ende. The three colored lakes changing colors from bright red to green and blue is one of the reasons tourists are drawn to the island. Aside from this, there are snorkeling and diving locations in Maumere and Riung.
Starting a tourism business
Blessed with natural scenery, eruptive volcanoes, and the environment, tourists usually flock to this nation yearly. It offers great business opportunities to those looking to do business within its territory. If you want to set up a tourism business here, here are some of the steps to take:
Conduct market research
Before setting up a tourism venture, one needs to carry out market research to know the market type, customers to serve, competition in the market, etc. For a tourism enterprise, you will require research focused on the frequently engaged tourism activities in the country and the kinds of tourists visiting the island.
Make a business plan
A business plan shows you how the business plays out before starting it. It guides the management and operations of the company before and after incorporation. In a business plan, one must include the target customers, costs, and marketing strategy, amongst others. An advantage of preparing a good business plan is that loans or investments can be obtained easily.
Register the business
All businesses must be incorporated to exist as legal and active entities. To run your venture, you need to register with the incorporation body, enter the company name into the commercial register and obtain all required permits or licenses before operating.
Employ qualified workers
Unless you intend to run a sole proprietorship, workers are essential to the success of your business. Hire good and skilled staff who have excellent knowledge about the island and tourism industry, solid experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, good interpersonal skills, et cetera. The number of staff to employ will be determined by the size and type of business.
Promote the business
Once you have registered the enterprise and hired staff, the last step is promoting the business to attract customers. This can be done online via a website for the company or personal blog, or offline by means of printing in magazines and local papers. You can also partner with tour guides and travel agencies, depending on the kind of business you choose to set up.
Overall, starting a tourism business here either providing hospitality or relaxation services sounds thrilling but it is not as simple as singing a song. However, with good management and effort, running the business will become easy with time.
