Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to outline a business idea for a small sized enterprise in the field of active leisure. The popularity of outdoor trips determines the interest towards new and creative initiatives capable of entertaining a growing number of clients. The field of adventure travel is chosen because it has substantial business potential and its market is not saturated with offers. Meanwhile, anticipation of the future internet developments will provide means of outstripping competition and winning clientsâ loyalty. Understanding how adventure travel businesses grow and make profit is essential in ascertaining the most appropriate way of establishing and developing a new enterprise with the use of the internet capabilities.
SME Research
The field of adventure travel encompasses both large companies with tens of thousands of employees and small businesses run and owned by one person. The exact nature of services delivered by such enterprises is wide, ranging from traversing the wilderness to diving and kayaking (Gundacker, Rolfe and Rodriguez, 2017, p. 5). Even though the presence of big companies on the market impacts competition, research shows that small sized businesses exist and are actually popular (Hassan and Rahimi, 2017, p. 258). Therefore, establishing a small enterprise that would derive profits from organizing adventure travel is a viable venture.
The exact areas that such a business would work on has to involve activities, which are both entertaining and do not require sophisticated skills from clients. Many adventure travel activities demand special training and deep knowledge to properly involve clients, such as the case with kayaking and mountain trekking. The outdoor activity that is both profitable and welcoming to newcomers is rock climbing, as such businesses are relatively easy to set up and attract substantial interest (Rahikainen, 2020, p. 177). A business that organizes rock climbing trips has less expenses and takes less effort to be established and start making profit than activities that require more resources and skills.
Enterprise Development
In order to understand how an adventure travel business with an emphasis on rock climbing can develop, it is essential to study how both large and small companies in the same field develop. The first business is REI, which had started as a small business involving two partners and has grown into a large company manufacturing outdoor equipment and organizing trips into the wilderness (REI history, no date). The second business is Rock Climb Every Day, which is a small sized enterprise run by a family (About us, no date). Both examples provide some essential training and organize climbing outings of the same scale.
The subsequent implication for the development of a new business is that the new enterprise can organize adventure trips similar to ones made by larger and stronger competitors. The first step is to ensure the availability of instructors who would be able to teach climbing techniques and ensure client safety on trips. The second step is to purchase the essential climbing gear that would be given to clients. The third step is to market the business as an organization that makes adventure travel accessible and cheaper compared to competitors. The fourth step is to organize training of clients that can transpire at a local crag or in a climbing gym. The final step is to organize tours themselves where equipped clients would be accompanied by instructors. The size of the enterprise will depend upon the influx of new clients and the corresponding need for new instructors.
Influence of the Internet
The internet plays an essential role in marketing, research of trip opportunities, and customer service. First, social networks will serves the as the platforms where the new business can advertise itself. Second, web sources will inform of new areas with rocks, which have become accessible for climbing and have grown in popularity. Third, the internet facilitates customer management since most communications regarding the organization of trips and training will transpire online (Lee and Lee, 2020, p. 1). Online promotions will further enable the business to grow via offering loyalty benefits and discounts to old clients. Virtual communication allows the enterprise to increase its client base quickly and consistently.
As the prevalence of the internet in business and life in general is likely to increase, the business has to adjust its services to new technological opportunities. The most relevant anticipated change for adventure travel businesses is the larger coverage of the internet in the wilderness. It can cause the business to adopt a differentiation strategy in the future by allowing instructors to broadcast its activities directly from the wilderness, thus increasing marketing efficiency (Al-Abdallah, Fraser and Albarq, 2021, p. 32). Meanwhile, availability of communications will allow the business to adopt a strategy prioritizing customer service due to the ability to quickly communicate any issues on trips directly to the trip organizers.
Finally, the internet allows analyzing new developments that would allow the business to grow. The first area that the business will need to target is new opportunities for trips. There are multiple regions with rock formations that are not well-known among climbers and can be quickly popularized. The second area is the news surrounding the invention of new equipment that can make climbing trips safer. The third area is the opportunity to streamline customer management service by using online applications. If the business continuously gathers data in each area, they will be able to take advantage of the development of the internet and increase its competitiveness.
Conclusion
This paper presents a case for an adventure travel business that could make profit of the rising popularity of climbing and the advancement of the internet. This market is not saturated and is welcoming to newcomers. The development of the internet will further highlight business opportunities, which will allow the enterprise to increase brand awareness, customer service, and the variety of trips. The exploration of real-life business cases and anticipated internet developments provide the basis for a business idea that will allow passing the Summative Assessment.
Reference List
About us (no date) Web.
Al-Abdallah, G.M., Fraser, K.E. and Albarq, A.N. (2021) âInternet-based entrepreneurial ventures: an empirical investigation of startup business strategies on firm performance from the MENA regionâ, Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, 22(1), pp. 29-41.
Gundacker, N.D., Rolfe, R.J. and Rodriguez, J.M. (2017) âInfections associated with adventure travel: a systematic reviewâ, Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 16, pp. 3-10.
Hassan, A. and Rahimi, R. (2017) âInsights and rumination of human resource management practices in SMEs: Case of a family run tour operator in Londonâ, in de Pablos, P.O. and Tennyson, R.D. (eds.) Handbook of research on human resources strategies for the new millennial workforce, United States: IGI Global, pp. 258-271.
Lee, S.M. and Lee, D. (2020) âUntactâ: a new customer service strategy in the digital age. Service Business, 14(1), pp. 1-22.
Rahikainen, K. (2020) âClimbing as a lifestyle sport and serious leisure in Chinaâ, Leisure/Loisir, 44(2), pp. 175-197.
REI history: it started with an ice axe (no date) Web.