The client is a statutory body established under an act of parliament to drive the implementation of projects and key programs identified within their official masterplan. The client requested that we conduct a study surrounding the redevelopment of an agricultural park into a niche tourism attraction within the state in question, located within the eastern region of Malaysia.
Full Story
With sustainability as a present guiding principle with regards to all levels of economic activity, particularly in the post-Covid era, the rise in attraction towards ecotourism and its associated sectors has been seen on a global scale. The global ecotourism market size was valued at USD 185.7 billion in 2027 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 15.2% from 2022 to 2030.
Agricultural Park projects which incorporate various sustainability driven elements such as agroforestry systems, greenhouses, community farming projects and renewable energy systems, present a high degree of attractiveness to the present generation of travelers who are seeking nature-based tourist attractions.
In accordance with the economic framework developed by the state of government of the eastern region in question, the client has proposed the project to strengthen tourism resources within the state while creating economic value and maintaining the quality of life of the Rakyat.
We were commissioned by the client to support the development of a master plan and business model to achieve a robust, holistic, sustainable, and resilient agricultural park. As part of the study, we were tasked with addressing the fundamental issues related to improving existing tourism products and the physical development of the park.
Key Outcomes
The client appointed us as the principal consultant to produce a master plan report, business model report and social impact report as part of the study.
We worked with a multidisciplinary team of supporting consultants including a town planner, tourism consultant, agriculture consultant, landscape architect, and civil & structural engineer, to ensure a successful project delivery.
During the study, we reviewed the current physical site condition and recommended the most suitable strategies for the development of the park, including the turnaround strategy, rehabilitation and sustainability strategy, masterplan, as well others of relevance.
As part of the study, we conducted the necessary research to ensure that the project could proceed as necessary. This included conducting local and international benchmarking on successful agrotourism and ecotourism developments. We considered various key parameters including economic perspective, unique selling points, partners, key success factors and the most suitable business operating model to sustain the project.
In addition, we proposed several guidelines and resilience strategies to effectively incorporate sustainability into the design concept. These included ecological rehabilitation, water recycling systems, habitat restoration, shared community facilities and others.
In order to best support the creation of a sociable environment, five unique zone types were distributed strategically across the master plan. The zones in questions were Agritourism, Science, Culture, Adventure, and Commercial.
Six critical factors were identified to ensure that the development achieves its goal of becoming a self-sustaining agricultural park in the long term through progressive transition into sustainable agrotourism in the mid-term. These six factors were industry ecosystem, accessibility infrastructure, technology initiatives, placemaking, branding and private sector involvement.
In addition to this, we developed a 20-year financial feasibility plan for the proposed development, outlining the expected IRR that the project could expect to receive over the duration.
We also proposed various possible marketing and promotional strategies to support the effective promotion of the park to the public.
Several stakeholder engagement sessions were subsequently organised to obtain the necessary buy-in and recommendation to support the development of the masterplan. This was done to ensure that it would most effectively fit the needs of the surrounding communities.
We also highlighted the possible socioeconomic benefits that could spur the states economic growth, attract investment and increase job opportunities in the area.
