Plan
|
Date
|
Project
writing for EU support
|
1st of
March 2013-31st of March 2013
|
Hand-in
project for EU support
|
1st of
April 2013
|
Working
individually to earn money for the start-up of the company
|
1st of
April 2013 - 31st of December 2013
|
a)
Answer from EU if we are getting support:
|
1st of
October 2013
|
· Getting
support
|
2nd of
January 2014
|
· Documents
preparation for establishment (2.2 Legal establishment)
|
3rd of
January 2014 - 21st of February 2014
|
· Start
making contracts with partners
|
24th of
February 2014
|
· Start
working in office (set up the office, Internet website, advertising -
Internet, brochures, posters)
|
1st of
March 2014
|
· Office
opening for public
|
1st of
April 2014
|
b)
Answer from EU if we are not getting support:
|
2nd of
October 2013 - 3rd of November 2013
|
· Apply
for a bank loan for business
|
4th of
November 2013
|
· Getting
a loan
|
2nd of
January 2014
|
From
2nd of January in both cases (a and b) the time plan remains the same.
|
3.
Services
company is a travel agency that delivers
eco-friendly and green travel tours to the customers. The travel agency will
help to guide customers in selecting trips in many different varieties
depending on customers choices. Customers will be able to select areas and
activities of interest based on their preferences and needs. Our concept is not
only to provide customers a sight-seeing, but also, an access to the unique and
authentic travel destinations according to the individuals or couples
preferences.
3.1 Service Description
«Eco Travel» agency will be first one in
Lithuania which is going to deliver eco-friendly tours within the country.
Unique and authentic trips will be arranged depending on customers' needs and
expectations. We will create tours after getting an overview of what travellers
want to see, visit, experience and what expectations do they have. In company's
webpage as well as in the brochures there will be named different places and
activities with its full descriptions where eco tours can be arranged and
implemented:
· Water
activities;
· Treks
(short/long duration; by foot; camping);
· Visits of
nature and cultural objects;
· Ethnographical
tours;
· Horse riding;
· Bicycle tours;
· Providing all
information of other ecological accommodation and catering places in
Lithuania.this list and descriptions customers will be able to decide and to
choose what they want to see, visit and experience and our company will combine
everything according to their needs and will make sure that customers will get
everything what was promised., keeping in mind, that our main target group is
35 to 50 years of age, with higher incomes, couples or individuals (4.2 Market
segmentation), we do not want to limit ourselves and we are also going to be
opened to bigger groups, organizations, companies, schools and other related
groups. Even if we are concentrating mainly on one special target group, our
suggested services can also fulfil wants and need of other target groups., by
arranging unique and individual tours for every single customer looking at
his/her needs and wants, in the same way we are providing an authentic
experience which will be created during every eco-friendly trip. Using our
services, customers will be able to enjoy nature, relax, escape physical stress
and get physical rest, meet new people, learn new things and share similar
values.
Tour example
is one of our detailed tours example to Neringa (resort next to Klaipėda) by bike for one person.
Price is 55 Euro including bicycle rent with equipment, 2 overnight stays in
Holiday camp and one extreme sport activity (prices in brackets for
transportation and museums' tickets are not included):PĖDA-SMILTYNĖ-JUODKRANTĖ-PERVALKA-PREILA-NIDA-KLAIPĖDA
days route (~110km)
1st Day (~55km):
· Transfer by ferry from Klaipėda to Smiltyne (2 Euro both
sides);
· SMILTYNĖ:
. The Klaipėda Sea Museum in Smiltynė (4,5 Euro);
· PERVALKA:
. The Dead Dunes near Pervalka;
. Horse lighthouse;
. Skirpstas hill and ethnographical
cemetery;
· PREILA:
. Swimming in a Baltic sea, rest at the
beach (optional);
. Vecekrugas hill;
· NIDA (2
overnight stays):
. Stay at Holiday camp;
2nd Day:
. Visiting museums: the Tomas Mann House
and museum, Nida art gallery, Hermanas Blode museum, Amber museum (1-2 Euro);
. Nida beach (certificated by Blue flag
programme);
. Parnidis pathway (two-kilometre-long):
Sundial - observation spot - Nida lighthouse - Parnidis Dune - coming back to
Nida town;
. Blokarting (extreme sport with engineless
vehicle and a sail driven by wind) or sailing;
. Stay at Holiday camp;
3rd Day:
. Leaving Nida;
· JUODKRANTĖ:
14. The Hill of Herons - a colony of cormorants
and grey herons (birds watching);
15. Weathercocks gallery;
16. Lithuanian art museum;
17. Exhibition of wooden and stone sculptures
(UNESCO heritage);
18. The Hill of witches and Cognitive
dendrological track;
· Ferry from Smiltynė to Klaipėda.
3.2 Fulfilment
. The delivery and service fulfilment will
be provided by the employees of the travel agency. The main point is to fully
meet customers' needs and expectations. After looking at travellers' needs,
choices and what experience do they want to have, tours within the Lithuania
will be arranged. Our company will take responsibility that all customers' will
be satisfied with services provided.
. In order to make sure that arranged tours
will go without any troubles, we are going to cooperate with the most reliable
companies in Lithuania which has a good image, high service quality and can
fulfil all our customers' needs and wants.
. In order to be even more accessible,
company's webpage will have not only the information about tours and different
activities but also, live personal chat where customers will be able to communicate
with employees, ask them questions and order tours. Moreover, thinking about
customers and how to make payment process easier for them, it will be possible
to pay online, so they will not have to go anywhere and will be able to do
everything without leaving home.
3.3 Technology
we are going to open our company in tourism
sector, the main and the most important working tool is personal computer.
Every employee will have his/her own laptop where he/she will be doing all
work, researches and tasks. Also, as we are new on the market and cannot afford
big expenses, main advertising source will be Internet and our own webpage.
3.4 Future services
the beginning and having in mind that company is
newly established, we are going to offer enough options for our customers from
which they will be able to choose what they want to see, visit and experience.
But also, we cannot skip our future plans and expectations. When the demand
will be growing, supply will grow as well. We will do research, ask our customers
what they want more and what expectations do they have, and in this way we will
develop future services and expand our product. Moreover, we will try to
attract more customers not only from Lithuania, but also, from other countries
(depends on from which country there will be bigger number of visitors). Also,
we will do more advertising on radio, television and newspapers only in the
future, as for the beginning it is too expensive for a new company. However,
market need is the most important factor for the future services, so as long as
we will be listening to the customers, we will have a place on a market and
will be able to compete with other travel agencies.
4.
Market analysis
is impossible to appeal to all customers in the
market-place, or at least all customers in the same way. Customers are too
numerous, too widely scattered, and too varied in their needs and buying
processes. We have to identify the parts of the market they can serve best and
most profitably. Also, our travel agency will design customer-driven marketing
strategies that build the right relationships with the right
customers.analyzing our audience, we identify the most important
characteristics and will use it to promote our service directly to the
customers. This will help to our travel agency not only to connect with the
individuals who are most likely to use our service, but also increase our
sales.travel agency's target customers are local Lithuanian middle-aged couples
and individuals who are interested in eco and green tourism services and
products such as experiencing and feeling the nature. This type of customers
are interested in participating in horse-riding, scuba-diving, nature and
cultural objects visiting.agency will be located in the heart of Klaipeda. The
natural beauty and authentic experience attract many green tourism oriented
individuals. This city has the most untouched and unique area which would be
the best option for tourists to pay a visit there.
4.1 Market needs
many potential customers are unsure of the location
they wish to reach. Therefore, the travel agency has to have enough knowledge
and information for the customers. Our agency would provide customers with
services and products for a competitive price and unique experience, which
plays an important role to customer searching for vacations.is a precious
commodity, as a result our travel agency could help to customer save their time
and money, and help to ensure that they are satisfied with their
vacation.conclusion, our travel agency would seek to fulfil the following
benefits that are important to the customers:
· A wide
selection of eco-friendly, green and unique tour packages;
· Accessibility
to any location in Lithuania;
· Personal
attention to the customer;
· Provide unique
and authentic experience for a competitive price.
4.2 Market segmentation
profile of our customers whom we are expecting to
buy our product and service are more likely to be 35 to 50 years of age, with
higher education and stable income, couples or individuals. Main target
customers would be Lithuanian nationality as the travel agency would be located
in Lithuania and these people would be in priority. This target group is more
likely to be aware of environment protection and concerned about green tour
experiences and adventures, seeing new places and traditional culture.would be
no segmentation in gender between male and female because studies showed that
50% of customers are males and the rest 50% - females.
4.3 Competition
this type of business there is a big competition
because travellers are usually comparing few travel agencies and looking for
more choices how to plan their tours. In Lithuania there are 226 tourism
agencies and almost 16% (36) of them
are established in Klaipėda. Most of the travel agencies are offering
tours not within the Lithuania, but to other countries all over the world as
well. In their web pages they are providing information about different tours
abroad, tickets and hotel prices, different tour packages by bus, by train, by
plane, by ferry or cruise. There are only few tourism agencies which are
concentrating only on tours within the country. But they are not considered as
eco friendly tours, usually they include everything: from accommodation and
catering places to different trips and tour packages within Lithuania., even if
our product is different from other travel agencies located in Lithuania, we
were also thinking on how to compete with them in other aspects and to make
sure, that our established company will be outstanding and attractive to new
potential customers:
· High service
quality. In order to have as more customers as possible and to make sure
that they will be satisfied, high service quality is a very important
measurement. In travel agencies service quality depends not only on quality of
the product but also, on employees who are interacting with the customers.
Therefore, because we are the founders of the company and we are the ones who
will work there, we are sure that we will provide higher service quality than
others, take care of customers and fulfil all their needs and expectations;
· Competitive
prices. Product prices of our travel agency will be affordable to our
target group (see 4.2 Market segmentation) and we will be opened to discounts
and special offers for bigger groups of travellers;
· Provide
customized services. «Eco Travel» agency will be different from many
others because of our unique product - customized services for our customers.
We will take into consideration travellers needs and wants and we will sell
them a product exactly which they are asking for and which will meet all their
expectations;
· Feedback from
customers. Every good travel agency has to listen to their customers all
the time if they want to be successful. We will have special questionnaires
which we will give to our customers in order to know, what is their opinion
about our services, what problems do they see and from this feedback we will
know what we need to improve in order to be better and more professional at
fulfilling customers' needs and wants;
· Ecological
company's philosophy. We are not only suggesting and promoting
eco-friendly tours but also, branding our company as an ecological one. It
means that in our office we will use rechargeable and reusable office products,
like batteries, pens, storage devices, low consumption lamps, print
double-sided papers. Also, we are going to corporate with other green companies
in Lithuania, join different events which are promoting protection of the
environment, become a member of «Eko pasaulis» (transl. «Eco world») - an
electronic catalogue of eco companies in Lithuania which is providing
information for customers who wants to buy ecological goods and services.
Moreover, in the end of every year we will devote 5% of company's revenue for
environment protection;
· Motivate our
customers. By providing eco product to our customers, at the same time
we are educating them about protection of the nature and motivating them to
contribute by taking care of the environment and all the time to have in mind
saying: «Leave the place the same as you founded».
5.
Strategy and implementation summary
5.1 Marketing strategy
define our marketing strategy we have used
Marketing mix model (7 P’s) which consists of four tangible elements (Product,
Price, Place, Promotion) and three additional elements which helps to define
company’s philosophy (People, Process, Physical evidence).
Product
Our agency wants to inspire Lithuanian people to
be aware of environmental problems, to think «green». We will offer services
that are attractive and not polluting environment of the country. At the same
time by providing these services we will motivate our customers to take care of
the environment and will give them opportunity to experience the traditional
Lithuanian culture.are planning to create easily recognizable Lithuanian
eco-tourism agency for our main target group by giving them trustworthy
information about us.
Price
First of all our travel agency would like to
create as much partnerships with reliable and qualified Lithuanian companies as
we can. We will buy attractions (water activities, treks, ethnographical tours,
horse riding, etc.) from our partners therefore, we will purchase products with
discount or at the best possible price. Furthermore, we will sell the same
attractions to our customers for the regular and competitive price. 10% of the
selling price we will earn for the service provided.
Promotion
We will make sure that our customers are getting
informed about our company’s existence. Since our company is newly established
and has limited budget, for the beginning we will use those forms of promotion
that we can afford:
· Advertising. In the first
year of running the business, we will advertise the company by flyers and
brochures. We will place them in local offices, mail boxes and tourism related
businesses that are located in Klaipeda, Kaunas, Vilnius (three biggest cities
of Lithuania) and Palanga, Nida (most popular resorts). Also, posters will be
made and placed in strategic public locations. To be sure that we will get
people interested in our service, brochures, flyers and posters will be bright,
well-structured and attractive (Enclosure 1). Location, activities, bookings,
dates and travel methods will be mentioned while advertising our agency. On the
second year, we will double the advertising costs, and will be able to take a
next step and will promote our agency in newspapers and magazines. On the third
year of running the business, we will appoint even more money for advertising,
therefore promoting the company through radio and TV will be considered.
· Internet
Marketing: Already from the start when we will open the travel agency, we
will have our company’s Web-page where customers will be able to find all the
necessary information - attractions and activities, best places to visit,
accommodation and catering places. Customers will be able to see company’s
mission and vision that will be written on our Web-page. Also there will be
provided photos of the places that our agency is offering and news to inform
our customers about future events and services., we will use Facebook and
YouTube for advertising on Social networks. On Facebook we will create our
company’s page where everyone who used our services can share their experience
with others, write comments and check the news feed that we refresh with new
information. YouTube will be used by our agency to upload short videos about
our sustainable services which we are providing. Since we will build up
partnerships with other tourism organizations, we will ask them to put our
agency’s logo in their Web-pages so it will also play a role in advertising us.
In all the above we will try to introduce our
agency to people as much as we can taking in count that we have limited budget
for the first years of running the business. Our message will focus on assuring
potential customers that product we are providing is different from our
competitors in Lithuania.
Place
As it was mentioned before, our new established
company’s office is going to be located in Lithuania, Klaipeda, as it is most
popular city to visit, among domestic tourists. Even thought that office
location is easily accessible, our customers will also be able to interact with
us, directly via official internet web page.
People
We will try to get in closer personalised
relationships during the process of providing the service - to deliver the
value for our customers. They will always receive a pleasing personality with
polite service handling. Our agency will ensure that the service is delivered
as promised.
Conclusion
believe that our new ecological travel agency
will become successful and will already start to bring a profit after first
year due to the following reasons:
· It is a first
sustainable travel agency in Lithuania which provides eco tours within the
country;
· We have not
only partnerships all over the Lithuania, but also, we are members of
international green organizations. We promote ourselves as sustainable company
which is concentrated on saving the environment. «Green thinking» is getting
popular every day, therefore this agency will be on a spot line;
· In our
business plan we wrote about risks, weaknesses and threats as well as we gave
possible solutions how to solve them. That shows we are aware of possible
difficulties and ready to face them;
· Financial part
and budget for the next three years shows increasing profit.present and the
future of our company are concentrated on sustainability and protection of
Lithuanian's nature while promoting the country as an attractive tourism
destination.
Reference list
1. Lithuanian webpage where is information about what kind of
company can be established in the country with descriptions, written by jurist
Andrius Liubinas:
http://www.verslilietuva.lt/lt/verslo-pradzia/steigimas/kokia-imone-steigti/#Uždaroji
akcinė bendrovė (article based on stringent regulations which were
valid from 2013-01-02);
. Table for Lithuania statistics «Individuals aged 16-74 who
used computer, the Internet by period, information technologies, age and year»:
http://db1.stat.gov.lt/statbank/selectvarval/saveselections.asp?
MainTable=M9020201&PLanguage=1&TableStyle=&Buttons=&PXSId=9492&IQY=&TC=&ST=ST&rvar0=&rvar1=&rvar2=&rvar3=&rvar4=&rvar5=&rvar6=&rvar7=&rvar8=&rvar9=&rvar10=&rvar11=&rvar12=&rvar13=&rvar14=
(2006-2012);
3. «Port of
Klaipėda»:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaip % C4%
97da#Port_of_Klaip.C4.97da
4. Information about
Klaipėda:
http://www.worldtravelserver.com/travel/en/lithuania/klaipeda/index.html
. http://kaimoturizmosodyba.lt/
6. http://www.atostogoskaime.lt/lt/sodyba/sodyba-aviris
. http://www.green-key.org/
. http://lithuania.travel/
. http://www.turizmas.lt/
. http://www.turistas.lt/
. http://www.ekopasaulis.com/
. http://www.ekolaboratorija.lt/
. http://www.daliusvirsilas.lt/gyvenimo-budas/ekovalstybe/
. http://www.ecotourism.org/