With the holiday season still in full swing, the budding entrepreneur may have noticed on his holidays just how profitable the leisure industry is internationally. As long as there are jobs to be worked, there will be people desiring to spend a couple of weeks a year away from those jobs, relaxing and unwinding in an environment purpose built for them to do just that. For this reason, you may have become interested in building from scratch a leisure facility overseas, filling a gap in the market you might have found, or simply from a desire to capitalize on the interest of your hobbies, turning it into a full-time gig. No matter your motivation, you will benefit from the following eight tips if setting up a leisure facility abroad.
Familiarise Yourself With Common Law
If you’re providing a service such as access to a leisure swimming facility, or are instructing people to scuba dive, you will need a solid legal backing to do so. Not only will you need to silence yourself and be familiar with the national law regarding your matter, but you will also need to be made aware of any nuances in the foreign environment, and restrictions that are placed on the business you’re hoping to set up. You will be able to find this information through the local citizen advice forum or online.
Maintenance
You have more of responsibility to provide your guests with a safe, well-maintained experience. Cleaning the equipment you regularly use as well as acquiring quality products will keep your guests safe and protected against injury and disease. Even if you take care of your guests perfectly, a lack of maintenance can mean that your operation struggles to operate as well as it might have done before.
For example, if running an indoor leisure pool, heating the water through solid heat exchangers provided by a premium home brand such as EJ Bowman, or purchasing top of the line and extensively sized scuba diving equipment can help you bring in folks of all size with operational reliability. Just as a day means plenty to the budding vacationer, a day of lost business in your busy seasonal period can be devastating.
Listen To Your Attendees
Despite your love for the craft you are teaching or the leisurely pursuit you are providing, you simply cannot assume that everyone will share that passion. Certain facilities such as swimming pools will always be popular, but being aware of the local environment might suggest you switch up your initial plans or change your original location. To continue with the scuba diving example, tourists are unlikely to take part in your activity if the oceans nearby have been reported to be high in shark activity. Information is power, and in the highly competitive tourism markets, it’s more important than ever. Identify your gap in the leisure market and provide the experience that will be cherished through its unique nature.
Remember, a vacationer’s day is of much more significance than you imagine, especially when they only have 7-14 days to fully explore and enjoy their local vocational environment. Make sure you’re providing a service of relevance and interest which will reward the time and money investment made on the part of the attendee. Listen to feedback and constructive criticism to help adjust your strategy in the future.
These tips will help your leisure industry, no matter which you are trying to develop, survive and thrive well.
