Environmental analysis and forecasting of SMNP

Brand: SMNP the Paradise of Africa

Semien Mountain National Park is one of those magical African names, like Nairobi National park, and Serengeti Plain of Tanzania for many travelers. The park has an outstanding and unique endemic animals such as the walya ibex, Galada baboon, birds e.g. lammergeyer, floras such as Abyssinian rose, giant lobelia are the basic reasons enough to attract potential visitors.

Environmental analysis and forecasting

1. Assessment of marketing environment factors

A) Social/Cultural:

Trekking: The main motivation for visitor to come in the SMNP is the existence of trekking activities in the destination. Trekking travelers are highly seek to do sporting moments, particularly, hiking to the highest peak of Ras Dejen mount which has altitude of 462 abs.

Site seeing: Nature travelers have high motivation to see endemic plants, birds and animals that are unique to the destination. Therefore, SMNP has some unique or highly interesting species such as Walya ibex, Gallada baboon, Abyssinian rose, giant lobelia, lammergeyer bird.

Culture and history: Cultural heritage admirers have great motivation to know and learn about the history, religion, and way of life of local peoples, such as Deresgie st.mary and st.yared churches, local people’s way of dressing, dancing, feeding and social interactions.

Photo graphic and Film: Those travelers who have a skill to do film, theatre, music clips are interested to come in the area.

B) Political and Legal: –

The FDRE Ministry of Environment, Forest and Wildlife protection and development Authority has the institutional mandate to manage natural and wildlife resources of the country.

Semein Mountains National park office has the roles and responsibilities to manage the preservation and protection activities over the parks territory from human and natural hazards.

The ministry of Culture and Tourism has the mandates to implement, the national tourism development policy over the park.

Ethiopian Tourism Organization (ETO) has an organizational duty of promoting and marketing research sustainably for visitors.

ANRS Culture and Tourism Bureau, North Gondar zone culture and tourism department, Debark city and woreda administration culture and tourism offices have their own structural roles and responsibilities for the tourism development, planning and marketing of the park.

Ethiopian Authority of Wild life Conservation (EAoWC) was set up a proclamation No 541/2007 to provide for the development, conservation and utilization of wildlife.

The EFDRs the Council of Ministers was set up a proclamation No 294/2013 to establish Ethiopian tourism transformation council and Ethiopian Tourism Organization to provide leadership and set directions for the country’s tourist destination development and tourism marketing initiatives.

C) Economic trend:

Semein mountain National Park tourist arrivals and worth receipts (2013- 2017)

SMNP main source markets

No continent List of tourist generating countries Number of visitors Market share in percentage Purpose of visit worth receipts in ETB

1. Europe Germany,
2. North America USA, Canada
3. Africa Republic of south Africa

Debark town hotels and Semein Park lodge room occupancy rate

Visitor’s length of staying pattern in Debark town and inside the park

D) Competitiveness trend:

The semein mountain National Park destinations are most likely to compete for tourists looking for a similar product and experience to that offered by the park is:

1. Bale Mountains National Park
2. Nechisar National Park

The brand personality of SMNP is what distinguishes it from these two Destinations. Understanding where the semein mountain National Park stands in relation to its competitors is critical. This means assessing what the SMNP competitive strengths and weaknesses are against what visitors are looking for.

The semein Mountain National Park has the following competitive advantage to win the market segment. These are:-

1. Aesthetic value (scenic landscape e.g. the highest peak in Ethiopia, endemic floras such as Giant lobelia, Abyssinian rose, fauna e.g. Gallada baboon, walya ibex and endemic birds e.g. Lammergeyer),
2. Cultural Heritage ( st.Yared church, Derassgie st. Marry),
3. Strong stakeholder and local people cooperation,
4. Standardize Lodge, guide, scout, service inside the park
5. UNESCO world heritage site
6. Accessibility(Road ,horse)
7. Better local community awareness regarding tourism development

Competitor Analysis

In Ethiopia there are more than 30 national parks in all corners. Among these Bale Mountain national park and Nechisar National Parks are rich in natural resources which helps to attract potential visitors. Bale mountain national park and Nechisar National Parks have similar landscape features with semein mountain national park. Bale Mountain National Park is located in the south east part of Ethiopia and Nechisar National park is in southern Ethiopia.

Competitor’s Strength and weakness analysis

Name of competitors Strength Weakness

Bale Mountain National Park o Organizational structure,

• Uniqueness: endemic animals such as minilik bushbuck,
• Supplementary tourism product such as sof omar cave
• UNESCO tentative list,
• Tourism activities (trekking, bird watching, horse riding) o Not register as a world heritage site by UNESCO,
• Low population participation in the conservation and development
• Low promotional activity
• Poor awareness of local community regarding tourism development, planning and marketing,
• Overgrazing,
• Poor Waste management
• Illegal hunting,
• Deforestation, in ability to manage visitors pressure over the park, limited international marketing skills and experience, weak public-private marketing partnership,
• Nechisar National park o Organizational structure,
• Supplementary tourism product such as crocodile zoo, Abijata and shala lakes, bird watching
• Tourism activities (trekking, bird watching, horse riding) and Sightseeing (Watching endemic mammals, bird species and floras, Watching outstanding landscape features of the park) o Not register as a world heritage site by UNESCO,
• Very poor conservation activity of the park,
• Low promotional activityo

3. Assessment of target market

3.1 Market trend:

The current visitor profiles and experiences shows that most of them are came from Europe, North America and to some extent Africa. For these visitors site seeing, bird watching and trekking activities are supplied to satisfy their needs. Visitors travel patterns are depending on their interest. However, tourist came in the area by a means of the following tour patterns.

1. Package tour visitors
2. Independent tour
3. Student trip and
4. Independent family

3.2 Market potential:

The SMNP has developing new tourism network plans with adjacent attraction such as with wunanya and kossoye to boost its trekking service. Besides the park also plan to give new activities and experiences for visitors such as, legal control hunting, photography and film activities, living/animated history shows and interpretation, adventure tourism ( mountain biking) to penetrate the new market.

The new market potentials are identified on the bases of Geographic and Demographic market segmentations.

New Demographics

Elder tourists: Healthier visitors, who have lots of time, travel more frequently and during the off-peak seasons. They are curious travelers who seek culture and learning opportunities. The elder age visitors specifically needs traditional mode of transportation such as mule, horse and the like.

Diaspora from North America and Europe: This market segment has a strong motivation to visit friends and relatives and reconnect with the nature and cultural values in the park. The Diaspora visitors specifically need investment opportunities in hotel and tourism sector and the like.

New Geographies

Far East (especially India, Japan, South Korea and China),

Eastern Europe (Russia, Poland)

Western Europe (Sutherland)

Southern Africa (Swaziland, Botswana,)

3.3 Marketing research:

Assessment of current marketing objective and performance

The case for positioning SMNP globally in 2017, Debark woreda Culture and Tourism Office data shows an increase international tourist arrival as compared to last year performance. In 2016 the number of tourist arrivals are———and in 2017 it reach in to ———–numbers. Western countries including USA tourists generate the largest shares.

4. SWOT analysis

The SWOT analysis provides a summary of semein mountain National Park competitive context for its Aesthetic value, biodiversity value, culture. Only those strengths and opportunities that make SMNP a competitive and those weaknesses and threats that truly affect its competitiveness are included.

Strengths

Weakness

• SMNP UNESCO heritage site,
• Has unique and exciting flora and fauna,
• Has outstanding landscape features,
• Uniqueness: Endemic – bird spices, animals, flora,
• Has destination management plan,
• High local community participation in the conservation and Small scale business aspects,
• Existence of cultural heritage (Deresgie st marry)
• Existence of tourism facilities (lodge,
• Well trained local guides and eco-tourism service,
• Rehabilitation from endanger list of UNESCO,
• Suitable for trekking, bird watching activities,
• Signposting,
• Tourism activities (trekking, bird watching, horse riding) and Sightseeing (Watching endemic mammals, bird species and floras, Watching outstanding landscape features of the park) § Existence encroachment due to over population inside the park
• Illegal hunting
• human settlement and population growth inside the park territory,
• developments inside park were not supported by EIA (road, electricity)
• deterioration of the park by less aware local peoples,
• lack of digital promotion and limited technological infrastructure,
• in ability to manage visitors pressure over the park,
• limited international marketing skills and experience,
• weak public-private marketing partnership,
• poor awareness of tourism in the local peoples

Opportunities

Threats

• interconnected location with other tourist destination (Gondar and Tigrai tourist destination),
• Pleasing weather condition,
• Road access from Gondar city and Tigrai region towns,
• Financial and technical assistance from UNESCO,
• Enhancement of international travel experience,
• The growth modern technology,
• The growth of modern transportation system,
• Growth of hotel and tourism investment , § Sometimes decline of safety and security,
• Spread of animal disease,
• Global warming,
• High level of market competitions from other ,
• Poor travel experience of domestic tourists,
• High hotel and tourism services and product for domestic visitor,

5. Marketing objective:

With the support of this marketing plan make the semein mountain national park the first attractive, safe and unique tourist destination in the continent of Africa.

6. Marketing strategies

The destination brand for SMNP is crucial to define the destination. Therefore, in order to attract more potential visitors from new identified market targets, the following marketing mixes will be apply.

Place Produce People Price

scenery & history Own products culture

Widely available and inexpensive food and beverage services by eco-tourism association

Ras dejen mount and its landscape features Local beers prepared by eco tourism association Friendly, smiley people

Endemic birds ( lammergeyer Traditional Hut prepared from ship hair Religious site (Deresegie st marry and st. yared church culture

Endemic flora( Abyssinian rose, giant lobelia Guiding, scouting service Lifestyle of local peoples

Narrow path trekking

Pleasing weather

7. Marketing implementation

The Action plan should put on the basis of demographic and geographic segments that have been identified on the above sub topic. Three action plan steps are designed:

Step1. Design and producing marketing materials

No Activities Target markets Unit target time Estimated cost

1. Prepare tourism Directory
2. Destination DVD
3. Map

Posters

Step 2. Developing an online presence

No Activities Target market Unit target time Estimated cost

1. Web site development
2. Release information
3. Social media development

Step 3. Targeting the markets

No Activities Target markets Unit target time Estimated cost

1. Consumer Print Advertising

Prepare Newspapers

Prepare Magazines

Prepare Brochure

2. Direct Mail

eNewsletters

3. Public Relations

Joint Venture Marketing

Visitor/Trade Shows

Evaluation and control

The destination audit prioritizes the Products of SMNP in terms of how they appeal to the Nature and culture market segment. The following are the priority, which products are the strongest and most appealing for visitors.

The strength is a rating (on the scale of very poor, poor, medium, high and outstanding where High and outstanding are the strongest) that indicates how

Powerful each product is and Very poor and poor scales are indicating the weakness of each product as compared to Bale mountain National Park and Nechisar National Park. This could be verified by marketing research .

No List of products Scales

Very poor Poor Medium High Outstanding

Place marketing mix

1. Ras dejen mount and its landscape features
2. Endemic birds ( lammergeyer
3. Endemic flora( Abyssinian rose, giant lobelia
4. Narrow path trekking
5. Pleasing weather

Product mix

Local beers prepared by eco tourism association

Traditional Hut prepared from ship hair

Guiding, scouting service

People mix

Friendly, smiley people

Religious site (Deresegie st marry and st. yared church culture

Lifestyle of local peoples

Price mix

Widely available and inexpensive food and beverage services by eco-tourism association