PALAPA HOSTEL
MARKETING STRATEGY (SEPT 2022)
THERE IS 3 PARTS:
1 – GET KNOWN / FAME
– Online presence (Website / Google map / Facebook / Instagram / Youtube / Volunteer websites),
– Get some review to have some fame.
– Word of mouth (the Volunteers speak about their experience and recommend the place.
– Branding (T-shirts, hats…)
2 – GETTING REVENUES
Solid booking system
– OTA presence (booking.com / Hostelworld…)
– Room calendar synchronisation
– Online payment system.
Other sources of revenues (surf rental, moto rental, taxi, goods for sale…)
3 – THIRD PART HELP
- Look for partnership
- Help from established organisations
- Selling courses (Natural building / Permaculture)
- Donations
CURRENT PLAN OF THE PALAPA HOSTEL
| Company Mission Statement | Build together an eco-responsible place where people commute and connect with the nature – Teach natural building & permaculture. – Provide great time (freedom feeling) to our guests in our hostel/lodges |
| Company Philosophy/ Values | Respect, Connect with people and nature. Eco-responsibility, sustainability. Surf, Football and team sports Do it yourself philosophy Initiatives are welcome to push social gathering and sharing |
| Company Vision | Share, Inspire, fulfillment. Value time over money, Travel with a goal, community, ecology Make your specialty/hobby a regular event at the camp |
| Goals & Milestones | December 2022 – Start renting the 2 private Palapa in December 2022 – Using the Big Palapa 1st floor as dormitory 10-12ppl and ground floor as shared kitchen Volunteering session Dec 22 – May 23: Be able to host 20 volunteers simultaneously Volunteering session Dec 23 – May 24: |
| Target Market | Mostly 20-30 years old travelers, mostly backpacker. Long term staying (more than 2 weeks) Ecological people, Natural builders, Permaculture guys, Surfers, digital nomads, footballers, Yoga Mostly North American,Europeans, Nicaraguans, South Americans, Russians… Then Families and vacationers on short staying holidays through 1-2 week packages |
| Product/ Service Idea | Enjoy cheap beach lifestyle & nature in an tropical eco-built hostel Internet, Shared open-air kitchen, Shared bathroom/WC area for all. Multiple sleep options: Private eco-lodge, private Palapa, Open-air ocean view dormitory, Camping, hammocks. Multi-Activities: Natural building, Permaculture, healthcare, community projects, Yoga, Art, music, dance Multisport: Surf, Body board, football, baseball, volleyball, basketball, trampoline |
| Special Benefits | Get tan, get fit, feel free, relax, exchange, get inspired, value time over money and anyway it is cheap! Connect with nature & your body. Learn: Sustainability, natural building, permaculture, languages… VOLUNTEERS: travel with a goal, Community Appurtenance, Building “family” atmosphere Grateful feeling for the community projects Develop your artistic skills |
| Unique Features | OPEN AIR OCEAN VIEW Dormitory, Massive volunteering capacity Natural Building, Permaculture, Animals Football Empower people to create their own business in ours. |
OUR ONLINE PRESENCE
Google Map – https://goo.gl/maps/Snt6KZqXpvK7ZR5x6
MapMe – https://maps.me/ (Mobile phone app only)
ioverlander – https://www.ioverlander.com/
============ VOLUNTEERING WEBSITES ==============
Workaway – https://www.workaway.info/
Helpx – www.Helpx.net
Worldpackers – www.Worldpackers.com
============ OTA/BOOKING WEBSITES ==============
Booking.com – www.booking.com/***palapapage***
Airbnb – https://airbnb.com/h/palapahostel
The project
We just have started the building of the eco project early 2022. We have a 3500m2 land in El Transito, Nicaragua.
We have created 3 wood buildings which have ocean views. The buildings have no walls to offer a different experience and to connect with nature. It’s an eco project focused on natural building and permaculture, 300 meters from an amazing uncrowded surf spot.
We work towards a DIY philosophy and strive to balance work, play, personal time and communication – generating an overall community of well-being.
– Learn natural building & permaculture for the construction of the infrastructures, furnitures and gardening
– Build a community with the volunteers around an ecology project
– Develop different community projects for the locals around sports (e.g. football, basketball)
infrastructures are under construction. Jérôme is building a project based on mutual aid and people, and volunteers are at the heart of this approach. Volunteers should be aware of this part of volunteering before committing.
VOLUNTEERS & CLIENTS MUST BE AWARE OF THE CONDITIONS TO AVOID TOO MUCH COMFORT EXPECTATIONS :
We are on building stage, with basic comfort, dry toilets, simple shower, open-air kitchen with a double gas cooker, foam mattresses on the 2nd floor of the 2 Palapa + bed lines & mosquito nets.
There is noise during the night with the animals, in the morning with the crazy bus!
We provide :
– Unlimited filtered water
– Basic food (rice, pasta, beans, coffee, bread, oil, sugar, salt, some spices..)
– Surfboard rental possibilities
Volunteers should cook and do dish-washing together.
Vegetables, fruits, meat/fish are on your charge, it is organised by the volunteers for the volunteers.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT ADVISES (by Valentine)
ADVISES:
→ Even if you like to manage your TO DO LIST on paper, try to manage your global project on a project management software every 3 days. Monday = objectives of the week on all the topics, Wednesday = adjustment of objectives in case of delay and Friday = bilan des actions). I advice you TRELLO, an app available on laptop and mobile.
→ On the GOOGLE DRIVE : Create only ONE FILE for the photo. This file will be use by everyone as needed. Do not create special file for one need. For exemple : Instagram → photo beach. If you do that, you will weigh down your google drive and have lots of duplicates. Only, 1 big file with several subfolders. For exemple : Photos → Ambiance volunteers/ construction works / site.
TO-DO
– Project language elements
– Update the volunteer platforms (text + photos)
– Encourage former volunteers to publish on workaway platforms, etc. to leave a review
– EXCEL table of platforms and groups or poster to recruit new volunteers & publicize the project
– Create turnkey texts (EN/ES/FR) to simply have to post them as needed
– Project management tips
– Create a communication folder and put the corresponding files
– Social media strategy, take a look on social networks (objective + commitment)
– Define the volunteering strategy