[OSL]

I've been given an opportunity to team up with a fairly strong team of people to start an MMA and fat-loss/fitness oriented resort and facility in Thailand.

Successfully launching a venture like this is my dream lifestyle business. For this reason, I am being extremely hesitant before making any commitments. I am the kind of person who falls in love with an idea hard and fast and can occasionally be blind to some of the critical flaws and pitfalls of an opportunity - despite generally having a keen eye for this sort of thing.

Does anyone else have experience working in, managing, operating, or owning a tourism venture?

As an environmental engineer I've toyed with the idea of ecotourism but in reality I think ecotourism is ironically inherently an unsustainable practice.

[Chad Daring]

On experience I'd have in "tourism" would be the food/restaurant side of the deal, thats if you're doing a resort style with your own food service operation

[OSL]

The focus would largely be fitness and the food part of the equation would be customized meal plans crafted strategically to prevent muscle loss and promote fat loss.

[Docter]

I'm not really one to give advice, but you seem to be knowledgeable enough about business that I think you could make the right decision after some careful consideration.

Worse comes to worse is that it flops, you lose dough and learn a shit load (I'd hope). If I had the "dream opportunity" I'd ride that bull until I tamed it or it violently threw me off.

Then again I have no idea how practical doing that sort of thing is.

[OSL]

It's so tempting. I'm more worried about losing time. At my age that kind of financial hit definitely wouldn't be small and painless, but I could scrape by and survive if everything goes FUBAR.

One creeping feeling of doubt I keep having is that I don't agree with people who are in "passion businesses". I don't think businesses work that way - I think businesses start with market demand and a well set up system of delivering world class products/services to clientele. Passion obviously helps with getting through the hardest of times but it's not everything.

http://www.viddler.com/explore/muselife/.../31/2.956/

Having said that, it's entirely possible that the market demand is there and it could all work out. I've gotten straightforward with these guys and asked them for all kinds of metrics that can help us start sizing the market, demographics, capital inputs, logistics of setting up this particular kind of business in Thailand, land costs, taxes, etc.

This deal is sweet but I'm willing to walk away from it if it doesn't seem right. The deal is so sweet that I am not letting myself be seduced by it. I'll be extremely critical at all possible stages in development to make sure potential success can be proven with the metrics.

[OSL]

Other things I have been looking into:

-Buying agricultural land for both personal use and for export

-Aquaculture and fisheries

-Luxury goods - yachts in particular - not yet sure how I'd break into this area but I could figure it out

[Docter]

I think agriculture will become a strong sector of interest in the following years. Population growth and lack of food will lead to some interesting actions.

I have a personal goal to, as soon as possible in my life, self-sustain myself food-wise. Not only to avoid the "system" but as a skill in and of itself. Plus, I'm strongly for the paleolithic diet and natural food methods which are NOT currently cost-favorable.

Whatever you do, avoid corn. Avoid it like the herp.

As for luxury goods, you yourself have stated that there is a growing consumer culture in China. Perhaps there's a niche market tucked away in there somewhere waiting to be exploited.

[Hairyballs]

Luxury yachts is a good business, trust me.

I was thinking about importing luxury yachts (only the body, no engine) to Europe...

[OSL]

Interesting. Can you go into more detail about your thoughts to get involved with yacht exports?

[pitt]

The idea is good but i think is a huge investment and the best thing would be to do a joint venture with another resort around the area.

I personally see this as a big investment(the more you spend, the more risky it also becomes) but only you know the probability of making it successful.

[Hairyballs]

Problem is there are too many people that are not interested in this when they go to Thailand, they got other things on their mind.

I knew a guy who had a hotel and was running a exclusive gentleman club.
He has been in business for more than 10 years, im not going to throw his name here on the forum, but he runs probably ONE of the most succesful agencies in Thailand, although there are quite a few who are doing quite well.

Weightloss would definately be a good business somewhere close to the USA, im not sure if Asians and Europeans will be running towards it as fast (or as slow, lol... irony, irony) as some Americans would.

[Hairyballs]

Exporting yachts to the West is a good business but you will need solid building plans - and invest. Then expose and sell as cheap as possible and cash in. Preferably in Europe.

[Hairyballs]

(06-22-2011 02:55 AM)pitt Wrote:  

The idea is good but i think is a huge investment and the best thing would be to do a joint venture with another resort around the area.

I personally see this as a big investment(the more you spend, the more risky it also becomes) but only you know the probability of making it successful.

This is very true. Dont build or lease, just get into a partnership with a small resort that isnt doing so well.

[OSL]

The idea is to acquire an existing local gym that's performing poorly and renovate it to western standards.

There would inevitably be additional construction.

[Hairyballs]

Ive lived in Thailand a few years and Ive seen many businesses like this come and go

[redneckpunk]

is your target market able/willing to travel to Thailand for a week or more to do such a thing? To benefit from it would a week even be worth their time if not, how many would be able to spend a month or more there?

[OSL]

That's the question here. Tourism in Thailand is cyclical and I question what the cash flow would be like when the low season comes.

I actually have a solid amount of trust in the two guys who have proposed this idea to me. The issue is not their intentions, however - it is the cold and hard reality of how large the target market is and whether or not they will come to this camp.

This venture can only be scaled as high as the amount of tourists that can be accommodated by local hotels, the camp's rooms, and the amount of trainers that can provide training to these people.

Whether or not I personally profit from this venture, I would like to see it take off successfully.

[defguy]

As it Turns out Im now stalking all your threads and I came onto this one lol

I have experience with MMA with many of my former training partners going on to fight pro, some have fought on TV (the guy who knocked out Kimbo Slice in 10 seconds was supposed to fight my friend that night). My understanding seems to be that your business idea is to either 1) creating a training facility for MMA fighters in Thailand similar (Hopefully) to the XYIENCE TRAINING CENTER in Las Vegas or 2) An actual weight loss facility/franchise in Thailand. If:

2) Dont even bother, there isnt an obesity pandemic in Asia like there is in the West and there are weight loss franchises all over the world and I dont see anyone flying to Thailand, living in Thailand and training in Thailand just to lose weight. Even in Spectrum/Golds Gym/Lifetime Fitness which are the biggest commercial gyms in the U.S. they have many of these programs at a discount with their membership. Granted they wont be as badass as this one could be, but there are many local programs that DO these things and even more and dont require people to fly rent and live there.

1) This is a possibility as many MMA fighters are dirt poor and respect the Authorit-ah (or hype) of Muay Thai and Brazilian Juijitsu fighters. Pluse the standard of living is cheaper than the U.S. and West Europe. If you can create an atmosphere where American and Western Europe fighters can train Muai Thai style, cheaper than they can live in the U.S. or Europe and get a few (respectable) fights under their belts it could be a career booster for them. Granted youll have to promote the respectability of the fights their getting abroad, but thats not too hard to do. Plus there are lax regulations so they can get like 10+ fights in a month under their belts (if they can handle it).

Several friends of mine debated MMA fights in Brazil and Thailand but ultimately turned them down because they had to rely on Brazilian/Asian instructors who are notorious for being unreliable. Having a widely known training center with sleeping/food accommodations can allow someone to save up enough $ to stay there for a week to several months.

Other Considerations:
I know your original idea included Thailand, however Brazil may have more opportunity due to the widespread hype surrounding Brazilian Jui Jitsu and number or respectable MMA fighters coming out of Brazil. I can only think of 1 respectable MMA fighter than came out of Thailand and he retired quite some time ago. Granted Muai Thai is great training for MMA (Ive stepped in the cage but refuse to fight Muai Thai) there isnt much public respect for Muai Thai which may be necessary to create the hype needed to make your business idea successful.