A BIF TOOLKIT

HOW TO SET UP
A TRAVEL HUB
December 2018

http://www.bifprogramme.org/
www.facebook.com/BIFTourism
Contents
Overview 4
What is a Travel Hub? 4
What is the goal of a Travel Hub? 4
What are the values of Travel Hubs? 4
Should I host a Travel Hub? 5
Who are the key clients for Travel Hubs? 6
Who are the suppliers for Travel Hubs? 6
What do Travel Hubs need to provide? 7
Where are the existing Travel Hubs? 7
How do I go about setting up a Travel Hub? 7

Step 1: Identify the location 8

1.1 Pick the destination 8
1.2 Identify a host business 9

Step 2: Set up the Travel Hub 10

2.1 Identify and train Travel Hub staff 10
2.2 Install soft infrastructure 11
2.3 Contact information and opening hours 12

Step 3: Gather and create marketing materials 13

3.1 Brochures 13
3.2 Business Cards 13
3.3 Transportation schedules 13
3.4 Marketing materials 13
3.5 Maps created by other stakeholders 13
3.6 Map created by the Travel Hub 13

Step 4: Create inventories and negotiate commission 15

4.1 Accommodation inventory 15
4.2 Transportation inventory 15
4.3 Restaurant inventory 16
4.4 Local activity inventory 17
4.5 Directory of local guides 18
4.6 Create a summary of practical information 18
4.7 Recommended commission 19
4.8 Negotiating commission with suppliers 19
4.9 Dealing with money 20

Step 5: Network and launch the Travel Hub 21

5.1 Being part of the Go-Myanmar.com Travel Hub Network 21
5.2 Launch event 21

Step 6: Measure the impact of the Travel Hub 22

6.1 Gather visitor data 22
6.2 Track revenue 23
6.3 Track visitor satisfaction 23
6.4 Regularly create reports 24

Annex A: Destination scorecard 25

Annex B: Enterprise scorecard 25
Annex C: Accommodation inventory 25
Annex D: Transportation inventory 25
Annex E: Restaurant inventory 25
Annex F: Bus schedule 25
Annex G: Activity outline – example from Hpa-An 26
Annex H: Service agreement - example 27
Annex I: Useful collateral 29

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HOW TO SET UP A TRAVEL HUB: A BIF TOOLKIT

Are you interested in setting up a Travel Hub? Read on! This document provides detailed instructions
on how to set up a Travel Hub.

Some of the information will be useful, and some might not be relevant to your particular situation. For
example, if you are the owner of a business, you don’t need to read the section on ‘Identify the
Location’. But if you are an organization or institution looking to help a small business set up a Travel
Hub, the selection criteria for the destination and enterprise (detailed in Step 1, ‘Identify the Location’)
will be useful to you.

Providing good and up-to-date tourism information is important for tourists to have meaningful
experiences in Myanmar.

We thank you for interest in helping to close the information gap in Myanmar and wish you good luck
in your work!

The Business Innovation Facility Tourism Team

3
Overview

What is a Travel Hub?

A Travel Hub is a place where visitors can get accurate information about accommodation,
transportation, local activities and, where appropriate, Myanmar-wide travel. Travel Hubs are located
in places that tourists typically congregate - coffee shops, motorbike rental shops or restaurants. They
are designed to provide an additional stream of revenue to a business that already has a reliable
client base of tourists. Furthermore, host businesses benefit from enhanced marketing, capacity
building for staff and potentially becoming part of a nation-wide network.

What is the goal of a Travel Hub?

The goal of a Travel Hub is to provide reliable, impartial and up-to-date information to tourists and tour
operators and to provide market access for small local tourism service providers and suppliers.

What are the values of Travel Hubs?

Travel Hubs are designed as inclusive businesses. This means that they not only foster
collaboration and competition but they also seek to bring in small providers, innovators working in
isolation, and support vulnerable populations like women and youth in their work.

Travel Hubs are respectful entities. All clients, partners and suppliers are treated with respect and
dignity.

Travel Hubs prioritise security, only working with suppliers who understand how to provide safe and
secure environments and experiences for their clients. This includes ensuring that bike rental shops
offer helmets, that taxis have seatbelts, etc.

Travel Hubs seek to educate others about responsible tourism. They promote local and
responsible tourism that contributes meaningfully to the local economy and provides opportunities for
local people. Travel Hub staff work to educate both suppliers and clients about responsible tourism
and keeping the environment clean.

4
Travel Hubs add value to the
community. Travel Hubs seize
opportunities to build the capacity of the
local tourism community. This might
include providing training to specific
groups (such as taxi drivers), supporting
new guides to develop inclusive
products, or providing marketing training
to local businesses on topics such as
using Facebook and Tripadvisor as
marketing tools. These auxiliary
services are add-ons that each Travel
Hub can consider offering based on
their own internal resources.

Should I host a Travel Hub?

A business interested in hosting a

Travel Hub should consider two key
questions:

Do you have the resources to

support a new line of business?

In addition to an investment in soft

infrastructure, such as a desk,
computer, and signage, you’ll need to
ensure you have a member of staff who
is able and willing to speak English,
maintain inventories and communicate
with clients.

Do you already have tourists visiting

your establishment?

Ideally, Travel Hubs are set up in

businesses that already have a steady
flow of tourists, so they have a solid
client base to build on.

If the answer to these questions is ‘yes,’

we recommend reviewing the Enterprise
Scorecard (found in Annex B), to see
the other ideal requirements for hosting
a Travel Hub.

5
Who are the key clients for Travel Hubs?

Travel Hubs solve common challenges for two main groups of clients: tourists and tour operators.

Tourists

 Challenge: Finding up-to-date and accurate information about a new and emerging
destinations in Myanmar.
 Solution: Walk into a Travel Hub and learn about local activities, the latest transportation
timetables and accommodation rates.

Better Information Makes for Happier Tourists that Stay Longer

More
tourists
More
recommendations
Happier tourists

Better tourist
information

Tour Operators

 Challenge: Finding the right connections to create innovative itineraries that include new
products in emerging destinations.
 Solution: Connect with the local Travel Hub, which has the latest information from all tourism
suppliers in the region.

Travel Hubs Help Tour Operators Offer More Meaningful Experiences

More
responsible
tourism
More in-depth
tours offered in
More informed destination
tour operators
Better tourist
information

Who are the suppliers for Travel Hubs?

Travel Hub suppliers are local providers such as taxi drivers, local and regional guides, local
restaurants and bike rental shops. In short, they are any person or business providing products or
services to tourists, who can benefit from enhanced marketing and improved access to tourists. By
partnering with a Travel Hub, local suppliers gain access to market – meaning that the Travel Hub is
an extension of their marketing department.

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What do Travel Hubs need to provide?

Broadly, Travel Hubs will need to commit to carrying out the following activities:

 Maintaining an inventory of tourism suppliers and experiences in the region

 Appointing one member of staff to engage with suppliers, provide unbiased advice to tourists
and stay up-to-date on tourism news in the area
 Display brochures from various tourism suppliers in the area
 Create and mount a sign using the Travel Hub logo. The sign should be visible to passers-by
on the street.

Where are the existing Travel Hubs?

At the time of writing this Toolkit, there were two existing Travel Hubs: Veranda Youth Community
Cafe in Hpa-An, and Tavoy Kitchen in Dawei.

How do I go about setting up a Travel Hub?

In the next five sections of this document, detailed guidance is provided on each step required to set
up a new Travel Hub.

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 Step 1: Identify the location

1.1 Pick the destination

A Travel Hub is only useful if there is no existing, central place for tourists to get unbiased information
in a destination. Destination partners, donors or national institutions interested in extending the Travel
Hub Network may evaluate the positive impact of a potential Travel Hub in certain destinations - we
recommend filling out the Destination Scorecard to support this process (see Annex A).

The BIF model uses the Destination Scorecard to measure how useful a Travel Hub would be to a
destination by measuring various indicators. The BIF programme had several strategic goals (such as
increasing the number of travellers to a destination) and therefore the scorecard was designed to
support meeting these targets.

Fill the
BIF Strategic Increase the number of travellers to the
information Promote inclusive growth
Priority: destination
gap

Potential to
Potential to
Potential to increase the Potential to
Presence of support
increase the Nearest number of raise the level
Indicator: PPIC coordination
number of border tour operators of destination
winners1 amongst
travellers selling the awareness
tourism actors
destination

Scoring
30% 10% 10% 30% 10% 10%
weight:

The rationale for each indicator is listed below, along with some questions for those filling out a
Destination Scorecard to consider. The scorecard works by prompting users to consider each factor
and provide a score between 1 and 5 (where 1 is low). The Excel sheet will automatically populate the
total scores. Destinations that have a strong potential to host a Travel Hub will score 4 or higher.

Indicator Rationale and questions to consider

Potential to Is there room for growth? The main goal of the Travel Hub is to support the sustainable
increase the growth of tourism. What is the baseline number of tourists in the region/city? And is there
number of room for tourism to grow? For example, if hotel occupancy is consistently above 80%, there is
travellers probably not much room to grow, unless new hotels are in the pipeline. To correctly evaluate
this indicator, evaluate the number of travellers per year, the level of occupancy of hotels and
year-on-year growth of travellers.

Nearest border Is the destination close to a land border? Many FITs (Free Independent Travellers) travel
overland and cross into Myanmar via a land border. Historically, these locations do not have
developed tourism infrastructure. As prices for flight tickets drop, it may be relevant to ask if
the destination is close to an airport which can bring tourists to the destination.

1 The PPIC is the Product and Package Innovation Competition, an initiative launched by the Business Innovation Facility (BIF) which is
funded by UK aid, and designed to encourage innovation in product development in Myanmar. BIF ran the PPIC annually from 2015 to
2017 and supported companies to innovate and implement inclusive tourism business ideas. PPIC winners are located across Myanmar
and provide unique, local experiences to tourists. The presence of PPIC winners in a destination means that there are unique
experiences available in the destination. In 2018, the PPIC was merged with the Myanmar Responsible Tourism Awards (MRTA).
See https://myanmartourismawards.wordpress.com/ for more information.

8
 Potential to Do tour operators offering this destination require support? To evaluate this indicator,
increase the consider the number of tourism groups working in the destination and the number of donor
number of tour projects active in the destination. If possible, evaluate the number of tour operators offering
operators the destination (and the types of activities they are offering). This can be done by calling big
selling the Destination Management Companies or scanning their websites. Compare your knowledge of
destination what is being offered to what is available and decide if there is a big gap.

Potential to Do tourists already know about this destination? Evaluate popular tourism blogs (Lonely
raise the level Planet, TripAdvisor, etc.) to see if tourists are talking about the city/region and what types of
of destination activities are being recommended.
awareness
Is the destination featured in major guidebooks? Compare your knowledge of the
destination to what is being discussed online and in guidebooks. If the information gap is
large, then there is greater potential to increase awareness. Also consider if there is an
existing destination website or a local tourism information centre that is addressing the
information needs of potential tourists.

Presence of Are there new, innovative products available in the destination? PPIC winners offer new
PPIC winners and innovative experiences to tourists. A high number of winners in a location will help to
ensure that the Travel Hub has a small portfolio of activities to market to tourists and tour
operators.

Potential to How organised is tourism in the destination? Talk to a few tourism actors (taxi drivers,
support guides, activity providers, etc.) and evaluate if they are well-coordinated through an
coordination association or other type of organisation. If they are not, there may be potential for a Travel
among tourism Hub to help coordinate the various tourism actors in the destination.
actors

1.2 Identify a host business

When Travel Hubs are located within existing businesses, these are called ‘hosts’. The host business
pays for rent and for the salary of a Travel Hub Manager. The host business will benefit from revenue
derived from Travel Hub sales.

i) What type of business? Travel Hubs should be hosted in businesses that have a regular stream of
customers - tourists and/or locals. Where tourists already visit the establishment, hosts will be able to
save on marketing costs, since tourists will already be aware of the host business location. The host
business will most likely be a cafe, a motorbike or bicycle rental shop, a souvenir store or in some
cases a Travel Hub may be located in the lobby of a hotel.

ii) Select a local business Once a destination has been selected, the next step is to identify the host
business. There will typically be several businesses that could have the potential to host a Travel
Hub, so in order to fairly select a business, it is recommended to use the Enterprise Scorecard (see
Annex B), which has a list of 17 criteria to consider.

To evaluate a business’ potential to host a Travel Hub, it is critical to visit the business and interview
the owner. Not all businesses will be interested in hosting a Travel Hub - they may have staff or space
constraints. It is important to clearly explain the objective of the Travel Hub, and the benefits of joining
the network.

The suggested list of criteria that should be evaluated is provided in Annex B. In addition to the score,
it is helpful to provide some narrative to describe why you assigned the score.

9
 Step 2: Set up the Travel Hub

To set up a Travel Hub, it is recommended to set aside a month of preparation time. That is to say,
that gathering all the requisite information and materials will take up to one month, if there is a full
time Travel Hub Manager who is leading the implementation. If there is no one identified to manage
the process, it will most likely take longer.

2.1 Identify and train Travel Hub staff

As previously noted, a Travel Hub sits within an existing business. It is important that all staff
members have knowledge of the Travel Hub, what services it offers and what benefits it brings to the
business. At each Travel Hub, there should be one or two staff members that are the Travel Hub
Managers.

Hire a Travel Hub Manager When possible, Travel Hubs should seek to recruit the Travel Hub
Manager from their existing staff. If no staff member meets the requirements, a manager can be hired
externally. Most Travel Hub Managers will also contribute to the day to day working of the host
business in a client-facing role, for example, in a café, they may also work as a waiter (but not a cook)
- this is to ensure they are available to answer tourists’ questions.

What to look for in a Travel Hub Manager

Managers have an important role to play in the marketing of the Travel Hub and the host business.
They should have in-depth knowledge of the local destination, be familiar with the existing products
and have a sense of the gap in product development. They will be outgoing, and willing to develop a
strong network. They should be comfortable being the ‘face’ of the Travel Hub to the local tourism
community. Key attributes include:

- Fluent in Myanmar language and strong command of English (spoken and written)
- Outgoing and friendly, willing to talk to foreign tourists
- Good computer and internet skills (able to draft emails in English and Myanmar, and update
social media channels)
- Knowledge of using Facebook Pages (for business purposes)
- Enthusiastic about the local community, with a strong network
- Willing to travel around the local community.

The Travel Hub Manager will be responsible for a variety of tasks, and the level of effort they dedicate
to the Travel Hub will depend on how busy the Hub is versus the host business. Ideally, the Travel
Hub Manager will be able to dedicate a full month to setting up the Travel Hub and then two hours a
day once set-up is complete.

Set-up tasks aside, the Travel Hub Manager can be expected to complete the following activities:

- Ensuring all inventories are up to date and accurate

- Keeping in touch with tourism stakeholders and monitoring new developments in terms of
accommodation, products, bus routes, etc.
- Having a full and thorough knowledge of the local tourism industry.

Ensure all staff members have knowledge of the Travel Hub The Travel Hub Manager will not be
available all the time, so it's important that all staff have knowledge of the Travel Hub and the services
it provides. Travel Hub Managers should set up a staff meeting prior to the launch of the Hub to
explain the purpose and services of the Hub to all staff members. Depending on the nature of the host
business, other staff members should be encouraged to promote the Travel Hub. For example, in

10
Veranda Cafe, there is a small promotional postcard in each menu, and the waiters will inform any
tourists at the Cafe about the services provided by the Hub.

While the set-up phase and creation of inventories is led by the Travel Hub Manager, if there is an
opportunity for the general staff to participate, then that should be encouraged. For example, staff can
participate in scoping trips to test new activities. Often, we don’t have the chance to be ‘tourists in our
own town,’ but this can be a disadvantage when the purpose of the Hub is to view the destination
through tourists’ eyes in order to provide them with the best experiences. Therefore, any activities that
help all staff adopt that mind-set are encouraged.

When on-boarding new staff at the host business, the Travel Hub Manager should provide an hour-
long introduction to the Travel Hubs to ensure new employees are fully informed.

2.2 Install soft infrastructure

There are only three elements of infrastructure that are required in a Travel Hub:

1. Signage: It is critical to have signage that clearly designates that the business is hosting a Travel
Hub. The sign should be made of durable material and mounted outside the host business, so it is
visible to passers-by. If budget allows, other signs can be placed around town to inform tourists
about the Travel Hub.
2. Desk with computer: A small corner should be allocated as the Travel Hub corner. This desk
should have room to hold marketing materials. Most Hubs will build a small shelf system above
the desk to house the folders, brochures, etc. A computer is required for Travel Hub staff to make
bookings and for visitors to the Travel Hub to check information on the Internet.
3. Wi-Fi Connectivity: Travel Hubs must provide Wi-Fi to visitors, though they may or may not
choose to charge for access.

To charge or not to charge for Wi-Fi? Three options, including elements to consider with each, are
presented below. Travel Hub Managers should consider the practicalities of each option, visitors’
expectations (e.g. if paying for a service), as well as the status quo in their city – do most cafes offer
Wi-Fi access for free? Is it a high quality connection? The offerings of other local businesses should
factor into the decision to ensure the Travel Hub offer is competitive.

Patrons can access Wi-Fi

Patrons pay for Wi-Fi access Wi-Fi-access is free
if they make a purchase

 Creates an additional revenue stream for the  Revenue is tied to  Can be used as an
Travel Hub internet access additional draw to visit
 Network is unlikely to become congested with  User expectations will the business
too many users be lower, because  Expectations are low
internet access is not as the access is
 Patrons are essentially buying Wi-Fi access
and, as with any purchased service, they will explicitly being ‘bought’ complimentary
expect it to work well and consistently, which  System may risk
can be difficult to ensure in Myanmar becoming congested
and slow if too many
 The Travel Hub will need to implement a
system to ensure that users cannot log on to people are using it
the internet without paying; this may involve
regularly changing the password or investing
in a more complex system

11
2.3 Contact information and opening hours

In addition to the above, one of the first things required in the set-up of a new Travel Hub is the
creation of an email address. It is recommended to use Gmail, because the service is free and
reliable.

Set up an email address

● It is recommended to use an email address that is configured as

[Destination]TravelHub@gmail.com – for example, DaweiTravelHub@gmail.com
● To learn how to set up a Gmail account, go to: support.google.com/mail/answer/56256?hl=en
● Ensure that the Travel Hub Manager has access to a phone / phone number. Some Travel
Hubs may choose to allow the Travel Hub Manager to use his or her own phone, and simply
provide top-up cards on a weekly basis. Others will provide a cell phone for the Travel Hub
use – this option is recommended in case there is staff turnover.

Determine opening hours

The Travel Hub does not have to be open for the same duration of time that the host business is
open, but it is important to establish regular opening hours early on. Opening hours are dependent on
two factors:

1. The opening hours of the host business (the Hub should not be open outside of those hours)
2. The availability of Travel Hub staff.

It is advisable to have Travel Hubs open seven days a week and recommended hours are from 10am
to 5pm.

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 Step 3: Gather and create marketing materials

Gathering marketing materials ensures that your Travel Hub staff is informed and also provides
resources to the visiting tourists. Travel Hubs should have a selection of maps and brochures.

3.1 Brochures

Brochures for accommodation, services and activities should be collected at the same time as the
inventory is being compiled and the Travel Hub Manager is visiting the various tourism related
businesses around town.

3.2 Business Cards

Taxi drivers will typically not have brochures but they may have business cards that they can provide.

3.3 Transportation schedules

Bus companies typically have their schedules printed on a postcard or business card. See the section
below on ‘Creating a Transportation Inventory’ for more details.

3.4 Marketing materials

Most marketing materials will be created in English, but you should consider the primary language of
your tourists – are you receiving high numbers of Thai or Chinese tourists? If yes, you should
consider investing to translate the materials so that they are most useful to the majority of tourists.

3.5 Maps created by other stakeholders

Printed maps are often created by various stakeholders - hotels, industry associations (tour guide
association), trekking companies, or local NGOs. Take a look around town and see who has free
maps and gather a few materials to display/give away at the Travel Hub.

3.6 Map created by the Travel Hub

Each Travel Hub should create a Google Map. The link to the Google Map can be given to visiting
tourists, most of whom will be traveling with their own smart phone. Google Maps is available offline,
so an internet connection is not required.

To set up a Google Map, you must have a Google Account. This will have been created when you
made a Travel Hub email address using Gmail. The following describes how to set up a Google Map:

● Open Google Maps and sign in using the Travel Hub Gmail address
● Click Menu → Your Places → Maps

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 ● To add a pin on the map, either search for the name of the location or use GPS points (if you
are at the location, Google Maps will geo-locate you)
● Right click to add a place to your map

● Choose different icons and different colours of the different categories of places.
● Select categories for your destination. Nearly all destinations will have:
- Hotels - Natural sites
- Restaurants - Points of interest
- Pagodas and cultural sites
● Depending on the location of your Travel Hub, you might include other categories like:
- Beaches - Fishing villages
- Trail heads - View points

Examples For the Tavoy Kitchen Google Map, click here. For the Veranda Cafe Google Map, click
here.

More information For guidance on Google Maps, see support.google.com/mymaps/#topic=3188329

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 Step 4: Create inventories and negotiate commission

4.1 Accommodation inventory

The Travel Hub should have an up-to-date directory of all accommodation in the city/area that can
host foreign and domestic tourists. The accommodation directory lives in three places:

- Online in a Google Doc

- In a binder at the Travel Hub, which tourists can view
- All accommodation options should also be added to the Travel Hub Google Map.

To create an inventory, follow these steps:

1. Search Google for ‘Hotels in (destination)’ (e.g. ‘Hotels in Hpa-An’)

2. Make a list of all the hotels using the template in Annex C
3. Categorise the accommodation options into:
a. Low-end backpacker hostels that have dorms and shared bathrooms, where the price
point is usually between $7 and $20 per night
b. Mid-range, 3-star hotels that feature decent rooms with private bathrooms - the cost
is typically between $50 and $70 per night
c. High End luxury accommodation.
4. Add them to the Google Map
5. Using a Google search, identify if the properties have a website
6. Visit each property and speak to the manager. In your meeting, you should aim to gather the
following details (input all information into Annex C). It is recommended that you explain
clearly the purpose and seek permission to gather and publish this information.
a. Name of hotel
b. Website (if the accommodation has one)
c. Phone number to use for enquiries/ questions
d. Number of rooms
i. Types of rooms
ii. Guide prices for rooms
iii. What is included in each room
e. Ensure the location on Google Maps is correct
f. Take pictures of the outside of each accommodation, to make it easier for guests to
identify
7. Create a binder for the Travel Hub that includes all the information (in a table format) and
brochures and photos of each accommodation.

4.2 Transportation inventory

The Travel Hub should have an up-to-date directory of all transportation providers in the city/area.
This includes taxi drivers, bus companies, motorbike or bicycle rental shops and airports (if
applicable). The Transportation inventory lives in two places:

- Online in a Google Doc

- In a binder at the Travel Hub, which tourists can view.

To create an inventory, follow these steps:

15
 1. Ask hotels and your network for information about taxi drivers, bike rental shops etc. (These
types of businesses are typically not found through a Google search, and asking the
community will lead to better results)
2. Make a list of all providers using the template in Annex D.
3. If they are physical places (e.g. a bike rental shop) add them to the Google Map
4. For taxi drivers, endeavour to meet them and explain the concept of the Travel Hub. Explain
that tourists may be coming to the Travel Hub and the staff can refer tourists searching for
transportation options. Make a note on whether taxi drivers are willing to drive long distances
(i.e. between towns/cities, or to the nearest border).
5. Visit the bus terminal and visit each company to get a schedule of their departures from the
city. Some companies will provide a frequent booker card for the Travel Hub, which provides
a discount. When making a list of bus departures/arrivals, use the template in Annex F and be
sure to include:
a. Company Name
b. Destination
c. Cost
d. Departure time
e. Arrival time
f. Frequency
g. How to book
h. Will the company deliver the tickets? (Yes/No)
i. What is included on the bus (Water? Snack? Etc.)
6. Create a binder for the Travel Hub that includes all the information (in a table format) and
brochures and photos where applicable.

4.3 Restaurant inventory

Tourists are always looking for places to eat, especially in order to try local food. Each Travel Hub
should have a list of restaurants. The restaurant inventory lives in three places:

- Online in a Google Doc

- In a binder at the Travel Hub, which tourists can view
- On the Travel Hub Google Map.

To gather a list of restaurants and create an inventory, follow the following steps:

1. Make a list of all restaurants in the city region by:

a. Using your local knowledge / asking friends and family in the area
b. Search on Google
c. Search on TripAdvisor
2. In your list, identify:
a. Type of food (Burmese, Chinese, Western, etc.)
b. The phone numbers
c. Opening days/hours
d. Takeaway option (Yes/No)
e. Location
3. Add the restaurant locations to Google Maps
4. Visit each restaurant to:
a. Verify the information in your list
b. Verify the Google Map location is correct
c. Take a picture of the menu

See Annex E for a sample template.

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4.4 Local activity inventory

Creating an inventory of local activities is the most challenging aspect of setting up a Travel Hub -
because it may require helping to create activities. Tourists can come to the Travel Hub to find
innovative products that they most likely will not find anywhere else.

The activities directory lives in three places:

- Online in a Google Doc

- In a binder at the Travel Hub, which tourists can view
- All activity options should also be added to the Travel Hub Google Map.

To build the activities directory, start with listing existing activities that are already being offered and
sold. To do this:

● Discuss among the Travel Hub team to see which activities are in the city/region of the Travel
Hub. Inquire with stakeholders about any other programs designed to encourage innovation
in product development.
● Ask the guides included in the Guide Inventory (which is further explained in the next section)
what activities they are currently selling.

Then, start to build a list of ideas for activities that could exist, but currently do not. To do this
requires an in-depth understanding of the community, its history, and its traditions. Types of activities
that the Travel Hub Manager can try to design include:

Classes Tourists love to learn a new skill, especially one that is tied to local tradition. It is usually
easy to find hosts for these types of activities because local people do them as part of their daily
rituals. Types of classes include:

- Cooking classes - Painting classes

- Weaving classes - Classes to learn how to make a traditional
- Chin-lone lessons handicraft
- Boxing classes with the local club

Once the types of classes have been identified, working with your network and the guides in the
region and identify local people who would be willing to offer such activities. The Travel Hub Manager
will need to work with the teachers to help design an experience (usually an hour long) and price it
accordingly. For example, a boxing class that was designed by the Travel Hub Manager in Hpa-An
included had three sections: a welcome by the boxing club members and a short history of boxing in
region; a boxing class, where boxers taught a few moves to the tourists; and tea and snacks together.

Other ideas for local activities

- Visit to religious sites - Watching a movie

- Picnic lunches - Getting a longyi made
- Hikes - Visiting the night market
- Visit to viewpoints (including sunset or
sunrise view

For each activity, create a one-page document (see Annex G for the template), with the following
information:

● Name of activity
● Description of activity
● Cost

17
 ● Duration
● What to wear for this activity
● What to pack for this activity
● Tips
● Activities you can pair with this one

4.5 Directory of local guides

Tourists are often searching for a local guide to show them around. To create an inventory of local
guides, willing to host tourists, follow the following steps:

1. Create a list of local guides (your list should include guides who reside in the region, not
guides who reside in Yangon or elsewhere but offer services in the region):
a. Contact the local chapter of the Myanmar Guides Association and request a list of
licensed regional guides in your area
b. Ask hotels for their recommendations
2. Once you have compiled a list of guides, contact them to gather the following information:
● Guide’s name
● Phone number
● Email address
● Best way to reach the guide
● Website or Facebook page
● Specialty (city tours, history tours, etc.)
● Cost per hour and cost per day
● Own car? (Yes/No)
● Is s/he a licensed guide? (Yes/No)
● Languages
3. Set up an in-person meeting with them to introduce the Travel Hub.

4.6 Create a summary of practical information

In addition to the inventories, all Travel Hubs should have practical information on hand. The Travel
Hub Manager should gather this information when he or she is compiling all the inventories. The types
of information to include in the Practical Information binder include:

- Location of telecoms companies and opening hours (be sure to include the locations where
foreigners can buy a SIM Card and input the locations on to the Google Map)
- Location of banks and opening hours (include notes on which banks have ATMs and foreign
currency exchange)
- Location of Doctors office (and if possible, which local doctors speak English)
- Location of Immigration and Police Departments (note if Tourism Police are available in the
area)
- Dos & Don’ts to encourage responsible and respectful tourism in the region, provide your
tourists with some helpful information. Suggested information to include in the Dos and Don’ts
section of the binder are what to wear and how to act at religious sites; what to wear when
swimming; basic etiquette.

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4.7 Recommended commission

The Travel Hub makes money by charging commission on various components that it re-sells for
other suppliers. Based on our experience setting up Travel Hubs around Myanmar, the following
charges are recommended:

Element Suggested commission Rationale

Bus ticket MMK 1,000 flat fee Bus tickets in Myanmar are not expensive, therefore taking a
(regardless of the number certain percentage of a bus ticket would result in minute amounts
of tickets purchased). of money being collected. The service being rendered by the
Travel Hub in this case is pure convenience, where the tourist
MMK 2,000 flat fee for can avoid calling the bus company and/or going to pick up the
purchase and delivery. tickets in advance.

Taxi ride 10% commission if Travel Hub Managers can and should recommend trusted taxi
booked by the Travel Hub drivers to Hub visitors. In some cases, the tourist may request
the Hub manager to make the booking for them. When booking a
taxi ride, inform the tourist that there is a 10% fee paid by the
tourist to the Hub. If he does not want to pay the fee, he can
make the booking himself.

Activities 10% commission per The Travel Hub acts as the marketing arm for all local activities.
activity The objective of the Travel Hub is to be the place where tourists
come to discover cool local activities and book them. The price
of the activity includes a 10% commission rate.

Bike or motorbike 10% commission on sale The Hub should and can refer trusted rental shops. In most
rental made by Travel Hub cases the tourist will head to the shop and make a direct
booking. If they request Hub staff to assist them in making the
booking (by calling or going to pick up the bike) then a 10% fee
is levied and paid by the tourist.

Accommodation Please note that we did not include hotel bookings as pilot Travel Hubs reported to BIF that
the majority of visitors already have accommodation arranged when they visit their
destination. If new Travel Hubs decide to include an accommodation booking service, they
should of course negotiate an appropriate amount of commission with the accommodation
provider.

4.8 Negotiating commission with suppliers

One of the most important jobs for the Travel Hub Manager is negotiating commission with suppliers
whose products the Travel Hub is reselling. The suggested commission rates are listed in the
previous section, but ultimately remain at the discretion of the Travel Hub advisor who will need to
consider what works in their community.

Negotiating commission is a delicate task, and the Travel Hub Manager must approach each supplier
individually and transparently. Before reselling any commission-based products, the Travel Hub
Manager must discuss with the provider the appropriate amount and ensure they are in agreement. It
is recommended that the manager sign a simple agreement with all providers in order to ensure there
is a paper trail of the commission agreement. See Annex H for an example of an agreement (this
should be translated into the local language).

When meeting with a supplier explain:

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 ● The value of the Travel Hub: to bring their products to a wider market and to bring them
business they may not otherwise get.
● The fee structure: that a percentage is added to their fee, to help support the Travel Hub
(some suppliers may lower the cost, others will prefer that the commission is added on top of
their prices).
● How payment works: that the Travel Hub will collect payment from the tourists and then pay
the supplier directly.
● The cancellation policy: That cancellations are refunded at 100% if the activity is cancelled
within 24 working hours.
● The need to sign an agreement, ensuring the seller abides by the terms.

4.9 Dealing with money

When a sale is made, the Travel Hub Manager collects the entire payment from the tourist and then
pays the supplier keeping the Travel Hub’s commission.

The Travel Hub Manager keeps track of Hub funds, but the cash is physically kept within the system
of the existing business.

For example, a Travel Hub may be located in a cafe that is dealing with food sales on a daily basis.
Whenever a sale is made through the Hub, the Travel Hub Manager deposits the cash into the cash
register, where it is kept safely. The Travel Hub Manager then notifies the cafe manager who keeps it
in a separate account.

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 Step 5: Network and launch the Travel Hub

5.1 Being part of the Go-Myanmar.com Travel Hub Network

The Go-Myanmar.com Travel Hub Network refers to the association of all the Travel Hubs in
Myanmar. The benefits of being part of the Travel Hub Network are:

● Use of the Travel Hub brand, which consists of a recognisable logo that signals the location of
all Travel Hubs. The Travel Hub Network will assist all new Travel Hubs in designing a logo
with their business name and the Travel Hub logo.
● Promotion on the Go-Myanmar.com website, which is the most visited tourism website in
Myanmar. The Travel Hub is responsible for contributing the content about their Hub and
destination to the Go-Myanmar.com content team (the editorial team will adjust it to ensure
the style, tone and voice is in line with the website). The link to the page where the Hubs are
featured is here: www.go-myanmar.com/travel-hubs.
● Use of the Go-Myanmar.com brand on signage. The brand is highly recognisable by tourists,
who associate it with reliable tourism information.
● Generating revenue as more tourists are aware of and encouraged to use the Travel Hubs.

If you are interested in having your Travel Hub partner with Go-Myanmar.com, please contact the
team at Go-Myanmar.com at info@go-myanmar.com.

5.2 Launch event

Once you’ve got staff, inventories and your Hub is set up it is important to have a formal launch event.
It is recommended to host afternoon drinks with some snacks. The event should be held on a
weekday, ideally between Monday and Thursday.

Who to invite The objective is to invite all stakeholders in the region that need to know about the
Travel Hub, for example:

- Hotel Managers - Owners of bike or - Newspapers and online

- Taxi drivers
- Guides
- Local tourism officials
- Activity providers
motorbike companies
- Representatives from
organisations/
associations working in
tourism
media (e.g. Frontier
Myanmar and Myanmar
Times), radio, TV, etc.

Creating the agenda The launch event should be fun and allow for networking, but should also take
the opportunity to inform all the guests about the Travel Hub and its mission. A recommended agenda
might look like this:

- Welcome from Travel Hub Manager

- Explanation of Travel Hub mission and vision by the host business owner
- Some examples of products and services available through the Hub
- Time to network and mingle.

Send invitations Using the Travel Hub logo, create a simple invitation and either send by email or
text message at least 10 days ahead of the event. Be sure to include the following information on your
invitation: time and date of the launch, location of the Travel Hub and what will be provided (e.g. light
refreshments).

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 Step 6: Measure the impact of the Travel Hub

Each Travel Hub has three things to measure:

 Visitor data to understand the customer profile

 Revenue generated by the Travel Hub
 Visitor satisfaction

6.1 Gather visitor data

To better understand who the visitors to the Travel Hubs are and what their needs are, it is a good
idea to ask all Travel Hub clients to answer a quick survey. The survey can be given on paper or via a
Google Form. It is recommended that all data is stored in the Google Form (so if a client fills out the
survey on paper, then the Travel Hub Manager subsequently fills out the Google form on their behalf).
Note that to facilitate data analysis, where possible, questions should be multiple choice.

What data is gathered is up to the individual Travel Hub, but we recommend including the following
questions and multiple-choice answers. A sample from Veranda Café follows.

● How did you find out about the Travel Hub?

○ TripAdvisor
○ Facebook
○ Word of Mouth
○ Go-Myanmar.com
○ Hotels
○ Family
○ Other
● How many days will you spend in [name of destination]?
○ 1 day
○ 2 days
○ 3 days
○ 4 days or more
○ I don’t know yet
● At what border crossing or airport did you enter Myanmar?
○ Myawaddi/Mae Sot
○ Yangon
○ Mandalay
○ Htee Khee/ Phonaron
○ Other
● What is your next destination?
● What is your nationality?
● Is there an activity in [destination] that you would like to do, but couldn’t find information on?
● How old are you?
○ Less than 20
○ 20-30
○ 31-40
○ 41-60
○ 60+

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6.2 Track revenue

Tracking revenue is done in two places - the ledger book kept at the Travel Hub, and in a Google
Form.

The Travel Hub Manager is responsible for tracking revenue for all sales made through the Travel
Hub. In most instances, the Travel Hub will charge for the entirety of a service and then pay out the
supplier. In the ledger book, the following must be tracked:

 Date of sale
 Customer name
 Customer nationality
 Name of supplier
 Total cost to customer
 Revenue to Travel Hub (commission generated)

6.3 Track visitor satisfaction

It is important for the Travel Hubs to track visitor satisfaction. In the digital age, online
recommendations are a powerful source of future customers. Therefore, ensuring customers were
happy with the service they received, and learning how the Travel Hub staff can improve, is good for
business. Each Travel Hub should create a simple questionnaire for all customers to fill out.
Recommended questions are as follows:

● On a scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 is low), how satisfied were you with the service you received
from the Travel Hub?

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 ● On a scale of 1 to 10 (where 1 is low), how likely are you to recommend the Travel Hub to a
friend?
● Do you have any suggestions for us to improve our service?

6.4 Regularly create reports

It is recommended to complete monthly or quarterly reports to review your products. Which products
are selling best? Which products aren’t selling at all? And why aren’t they selling? Reports should be
reviewed internally with all Travel Hub team members and reports should include:

1. Summary of all sales (taken from ledger book)

2. Challenges
3. Lessons learned
4. Activities for the upcoming month
5. Summary of tourism data (collected through tourist survey).

These reports would inform the management of Travel Hub to analyse its activities, and to improve
services offered and to continue building relationships with local suppliers.

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Annex A: Destination scorecard (attached)

Annex B: Enterprise scorecard (attached)

Annex C: Accommodation inventory (attached)

Annex D: Transportation inventory (attached)

Annex E: Restaurant inventory (attached)

Annex F: Bus schedule (attached)

How to access the attachements:

1. Open file in Adobe Reader/Acrobat Pro

2. Click on the paperclip symbol in the left hand side-bar
3. See list of attachments

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Annex G: Activity outline – example from Hpa-An

Visit to the Blue Lagoon

Booking contact: Ko Thura at 0997xxxxxxx (guide)

Activity description: The Blue Lagoon is about a 40-minute drive out of Hpa-An. It is a popular local
swimming spot. It is unclear why the water in this particular spot is such a clear blue, but it is indeed
pretty and inviting for a swim! The water is not always blue though; when levels are low it can be more
of a greenish hue. The drive to the Blue Lagoon is stunning, offering picturesque vistas of Hpa-An’s
famous karst cliffs. At the swimming spot there is a place to change and a small Thanaka station to
re-apply after a swim. Opening hours are 8am to 5pm. There is a small hike to the top of a nearby
mountain that starts close to the swimming hole - it takes about 45 minutes to reach the top. There is
strictly no fishing at this location.

Cost: There is no fee to swim at the Blue Lagoon. If you’d like to rent an inner tube, the cost is about
MMK 500 for one hour. Snacks are available to purchase.

**** Transportation costs may vary ****

Duration: It takes 40 minutes to drive to the Blue Lagoon from Hpa-An, how much time you spend at
the swimming hole is up to you. The hike takes about 45 minutes, one way.

What to wear for this activity: Myanmar people do not wear swimsuits for swimming; especially
women will wear shorts and a t-shirt. You should do the same.

What to pack for this activity:

● Mosquito repellent
● Sunscreen
● A Hat
● A camera
● Sturdy shoes (if you plan to do the hike)
● Snacks (the selection of snacks for purchase may be limited, especially if you go on a
weekday)

Tips:

 Local people tend to head to the Blue Lagoon after 12pm, so if you’d like the place to
yourself, head over early.
 On the way towards the Blue Lagoon there is a sort of walkway over the water that leads to a
shrine, note that you are required to take your shoes off to cross this walkway.
 Worth repeating: there is strictly no fishing allowed at this location.
 Follow instructions about where to swim, as some of the water closer to the highway has
barbed wire in it.
 The Blue Lagoon is wheelchair accessible but getting in and out of the water may be
challenging for people with disabilities.

Activities that you pair with this one:

● Picnic by Veranda Café

● Sadan Cave
● Ein Du Weaving Village

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Annex H: Service agreement - example

Please note that the example provided below is based on the Travel Hub in Hpa-An, so the
agreement will need to be updated accordingly. This Service Agreement should be kept in a separate
file and not be made available to visitors.

Agreement between [name of Travel Hub] at [host location] and Service Providers in [destination].

About this agreement:

The [name of Travel Hub] is the number one source of tourism information in [destination]. Tourists
are able to visit the Travel Hub and gain information about transportation and activities around
[destination]. This agreement outlines the procedures around being listed in the Travel Hub inventory.

About signatories to this agreement:

This agreement is between [name of Travel Hub] at [host location] and [name of service provider /
supplier].

This agreement is signed on [date] and is valid for [duration, e.g. ‘one calendar year’], until [end date].

The Travel Hub will sell the following products on behalf of [name of service provider / supplier].

Name of product Cost per person

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I, [name of service provider / supplier], understand that:

 The Travel Hub adds a [XX]% commission to the cost of my products which goes towards the
operational costs of the Travel Hub.
 I am responsible for providing the Travel Hub with updates on my products and contact
information.
 The Travel Hub will collect full payment from the customer at the time of booking and provide
them with a receipt.
 The Travel Hub will pay me directly within [agreed timeframe] after payment has been
received from the traveller.
 Travellers are able to cancel with 24 hours’ notice. Cancellations made after 24 hours are
non-refundable and the provider will be paid as if the service was rendered.

Signed by the service provider / supplier:

Signed: _____________________________________

Print name: _________________________________

Date: ______________________________________

Counter-signed by the Travel Hub Project Manager:

Signed: _____________________________________

Print name: _________________________________

Date: ______________________________________

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Annex I: Useful collateral

Activity booking slip

When a client books an activity, the Travel Hub Manager can fill out a slip for them, like the example
below, so they have all the information required.

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Bus booking slip

When a client books a bus ticket, the Travel Hub Manager can fill out a slip for them, like the example
below, so they have all the information required.

In Hpa-An, the bus station is notoriously hard to find, so the Travel Hub Manager also provided a map
that shows how to reach the bus station:

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Car booking slip

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Flyer

To raise awareness of the Travel Hub, the Hub Manager can place flyers at the front desk of hotels or
in other locations that tourists frequent in the local area. A sample flyer is provided below.

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This document is an output from a project funded by UK aid from the UK government. However, the views expressed
and information contained in it are not necessarily those of or endorsed by the UK government who can accept no
responsibility for such views or information or for any reliance placed on them. This publication has been prepared for
general guidance on matters of interest only and does not constitute professional advice. The information contained in
this publication should not be acted upon without obtaining specific professional advice. No representation or warranty
(express or implied) is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this publication, and, to
the extent permitted by law, no organisation or person involved in producing this document accepts or assumes any
liability, responsibility or duty of care for any consequences of anyone acting, or refraining to act, in reliance on the
information contained in this publication or for any decision based on it.

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