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立 政 治 大 學
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1. Executive Summary
St. Kitts is a tiny island in the Eastern Caribbean, twenty five hundred miles south of the US.
The island has very rich culture and heritage, which dates back to as early as the 1400’s. The very fertile soil and perfect weather ignited battles between the English, French and Spanish who fought for the land for many years. However, in the end, via treaty, the English was victorious and ruled the country for years before our independence in 1983. During their settlement on the island, the Europeans established the Sugar industry in St. Kitts and imported thousands of West African Slaves to work in the Sugar fields until the 1830s when slavery was abolished.
The island continued to prosper for many years from the sugar plantation but was forced to close the industry in 2005 due to the inability to provide enough sugar to compete in the world market. As a result, to diversify the economy the leaders of the day turned to Tourism. The tourism industry continues to grow and has become the main revenue generator for the island, employing over 30 percent. Of the workforce. As of our 2019, the island receives direct flights to the destination from a number of US cities including Miami and New York, also, Toronto and London. In 2018, St. Kitts received its one millionth-cruise ship passenger; this was a main achievement for the tiny island as it shows growth and progression in the Tourism industry on the destination.
The primary goal of developing the heritage and cultural tourism industry in St. Kitts is to create, preserve and enhance our cultural resources, and use it to attract visitors, which will contribute to sustainable economic gains, through increased diversity and sale of viable cultural tourism
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國立 政 治 大 學
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N a tio na
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services.
To contribute to the development of the Heritage and Cultural Tourism Sector and diversifying the tourism industry in St. Kitts, I will like to propose a business plan for Valerine’s Tea House.
Valerine’s Herbal Tea House is a traditional Kittitian style Tea House located at Wingfield Estate in the historical village, Old Road, St. Kitts, just six miles away from the city of Basseterre. My grandmother and guardian Valerine who passed away five years ago inspired the Tea House concept, therefore giving it a personal touch.
The desire for consumption and education of herbal teas for natural health benefits is a growing trend as the general population are moving away from traditional medicines and are choosing natural teas for its proven health benefits. In addition, visitors' interest is changing, and they are looking to experience more than sun, sea and sand. As a result, they are becoming more intrigued in the heritage and culture of the different countries they visit and are willing to travel to these destinations to experience and embrace in the local customs. The experience offered at the Tea House will highlight the African heritage and connection that has influenced the lives of the citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis after full emancipation from slavery in the 1800s up to the late 1900s.
The Tea House structure will replicate an old traditional wooden house structure on stilts with hooked windows and doors, and porch similar to the homes that were built and occupied by the citizens of St. Kitts in the olden days. The facility will include a Demonstration Room, small
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國立 政 治 大 學
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Museum to display local artefacts and a small Gift Shop for purchasing environmentally friendly packaged teas and local products. In addition, there will be a tea farm in the back yard of the Tea House, which will display a variety of tea leaves, which will be labelled, and feature information on the health benefits of each the plant. The bathroom facilities will be on the outside.
At the Tea House, the guest will receive a brief tour of the tea garden, a demonstration through storytelling on how tea was made in the olden days and the sample some of the teas with traditional treats.
Taxi Operators will be contracted to transport guests who booked the tour in advance, whether on the cruise ship or via our website, to the Tea House from the cruise ship port or hotel, until the company can afford to purchase a vehicle for guest transportation. All other guests will be required to make his or her transportation arrangements to the Tea House, which is quite easy if they refer to the information desk at the Cruise Ship Terminal or with the concierge at the hotel.
This company has the potential to succeed as it provides a new product and a very different experience for a growing market of travellers who travel for historical and cultural experiences.
Due to the influx of visitors, and space limitations, the company is expected to receive request from more guest than it can accommodate, therefore management will need to create ways of accommodating more guest or providing additional activities and experiences. I am predicting the construction of a second Tea House after the fifth year of operations. By this time, the Tea House would have increase its brand recognition, through the reputation and image and have
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國立 政 治 大 學
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N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
generated enough revenue and profits to do so. Also by this time, we would have solidified our relationships with our key partners, which can create new opportunities for the company. In addition, in order to stay relevant and fresh, management will create and develop new experiences for our guest, such as a cooking class where guest can learn to make some of our local cuisines etc.
The Tea House will be owned and managed by myself, Danielle Weekes along with a small team of employees/partners, as they will be called, who will assist with the daily operations at the facility.
To encourage entrepreneurship and develop businesses in the tourism industry the government of St. Kitts and Nevis have set up funding program to provide revenue and access to land through the local Development Bank for Small and Medium Enterprises through concessionary loans at very low interest rates. Therefore, I will seek startup funding for the Tea House through this program.
Through good marketing and customer experience, the company is expected to break even and generate profit in its first year. This will be possible due to low operation cost and high revenue due to anticipated demand of readily available visitors to the island.
The Tea House is anticipated to open in July during the slow season. This will allow management to have a trial and error period. During this time, errors and flaws can be identified and rectified before the high, busy season in October. The Tea House can be set up and ready for business within 18 months.
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國立 政 治 大 學
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N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y