How to Set Up a Sustainable Tourism Business in a Developing Country

When I first arrived in Colombia, I did not think I would be running a sustainable tourism business. I did not even know what sustainable tourism meant. And when I started to brainstorm the idea, I did not know I would be focusing on a narrow niche of LGBT travelers. But today I am running a travel and tourism agency that is recognized as an emerging leader in the field of LGBT and sustainable travel in Colombia. As a potential entrepreneur considering launching a sustainable tourism business in a developing country, you might have a lot of doubts and questions. Certainly, many of those questions are the same ones I had when I started out. Just like I did, on your journey, you will need to establish your business, build credibility in your host country, and learn and develop key competencies. Then, you will define your objective and develop a vision and mission to serve as guideposts. After that you will need to get to know your target audience, and then take steps to create that initial product that you will sell to your customers. By building that product with a network of suppliers, you will have a greater impact and inspire a wave of innovation that will transform the tourism industry in your host country. The transformation will lead to improvements in the quality of life for local community members. And you will elevate to expert status, building your brand and inspiring generations to come to realize change they might not have otherwise imagined to be possible.