Tanawan Hostel; Pursuing Inclusive Growth

Schoolmates realign the purpose of business and tourism.

Situation

Hello! How do you do?

   The recent pandemic made changes in our lives. It was bewildering in a sense; a part of human nature. We tried to tackle it by creating opportunities or solving problems aligned with it and to see what continually impels us to grow.

    I tried reaching out to a schoolmate I met in seventh grade, to make time for what I can add value. This is upon being frustrated about the limited opportunities in my embedded profession; so, I offered my branding services through a call. I presented a mission that is patterned from a tourism development plan- that also became our alignment tool. My schoolmate on my behalf has the core gift of good communication and empathy. She finished a degree with it, was able to apply these in a reputable airline company, and now has the opportunity to run a hospitality business with her partner when flights are limited. I admire how she and her partner were able to develop a deep relationship with their reality.

Task

    Starting up a business amidst the pandemic is a daunting and tedious task. To think about financing, marketing, technicalities, and managerial skills- which then boiled our engagement down to enhancing the hostel's capability to reach markets through the provision of online content that will promote their facilities and services. What's more meaningful about this partnership is how we were able to set the tasks on a milestone basis; meaning to say, this is how we run our schoolwork from our alma mater. This remains us connected to our conscious needs and being able to deliver the requirements for completion. The following milestones include 1) creating a hostel mockup, 2) creating digital assets about the hostel, and 3) showcasing the hostel through photographs.

Milestone 1: (Images from Left to right) Calling card mockup, Directory Mockup, and Wallpaper Mockup.

Milestone 1

    Our initial task is to create hostel branding mockups to introduce their flagship brand to a serviceable, and obtainable market. This will be channeled through the use of different social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. This became a testing ground for the impact of the product on its market reach. From our experience, the introduction of “Tanawan hostel mockups” opened different interests within its social network- which also initiated different reactions. The social hype is overwhelming for a starting business and is recommended to be introduced softly for its service capacity. The project took a week to finish, with works including conceptualizations, graphics, sets, and photography. Our discussion is open from design constraints, with creative use of materials for delivery, and with no set deadline.

Milestone 2 (from left to  right): Vicinity map, Promotion template, Rates Template, and Tanawan Launch Campaign poster.

Milestone 2

    Our next milestone is to create digital assets about the hostel that can be used to promote its facilities and services potentially through guests, local tourism councils, and other business institutions. After sparking interest within the serviceable obtainable market, we needed to upgrade our online presence so that common inquiries are addressed. These digital assets include a vicinity map, a template for price points, campaign materials, and a social media filter. We created these assets through after-work collaborations with two weeks deadlines, creative freedom, and to work within available materials. Some of the assets are effective such as the vicinity map- to help people locate the hostel, and templates- to address customer inquiries. Our third set of assets, which is our campaign materials (that are supposed to be used for launch) didn't meet the partner's expected mood; therefore, we just have to create a campaign through Canva. While our Instagram filter is just a novelty during the launch to elevate the customer experience. These assets are mostly graphics work.

Milestone 3 (images from left to right): La Union shores in the sunset, Tanawan Hostel entrance, Common area, and Hallway.

Milestone 3

    Upon mere completion of our second milestone, we proactively engaged further for facility documentation. This is upon redeeming an agreed accommodation to the hostel. And so, it was a working trip. Taking photographs of the hostel may provide opportunities to participate and showcase its facilities in local business and tourism opportunities such as booking sites, campaigns, branding, and others. In the documentation project, our process includes styling, photographing, and post-processing.

Conclusion

    My schoolmate has been the nicest and most considerate person to work with. I became classmates with her in seventh grade. Now that I'm seeing her again for just a short time is valuable. And being able to work with someone familiar, and trusting each other is already inclusive, and directed towards growth. What I want to highlight in this project is how we work interdependently on milestones, be able to complete them, and shared a mission in tourism. There is an abundance of opportunities to create, and problems to solve- that I hope to align with them hopefully soon and in good light.

"INSERT ONLINE BOOKING LINK"

*What do you think/ How do you feel about this case study? Please leave your comment!