NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ADVANCED EDUCATION PROGRAMS

KRAMA RETREAT

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

GROUP 11
PHAM THU Y DU ONG - 11196408

NGU YEN THAO NGUYEN - 11193894

NGUYEN PHUONG LINH - 11192929

LE DOAN ANH THU - 11194959

NGO QU ANG TRIEU – 11195468

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1

PROBLEM STATEMENT 1
TARGET AUDIENCE RESEARCH PROPOSAL 1
1. Research objectives 1
2. The information needed 2
3. Research methods 3
COMPETITION RESEARCH PROPOSAL 3
1. Research objectives 3
2. The information needed 4
3. Research methods 4
TIME SCHEDULE 5

REFERENCES 6
INTRODUCTION

The awareness of and demand for wellness tourism have risen dramatically around the world due to the
fact that more and more people pay attention to their health and want to keep up their healthy habits
when they travel. GWI estimates wellness tourism is a $639 billion global market in 2017, growing more
than twice as fast as general tourism (Global Wellness Institute, 2018). With this trend, Yoga tourism has
emerged, grown and can be viewed as a subset of wellness tourism. Given this opportunity, Krama
Retreat - a yoga tourism social enterprise has been proposed in Cambodia and offers two main services:
(1) venue hire for international and domestic yoga studios, and (2) classes and other wellness services.

After having the agreement of The Board of Directors of Krama Yoga to explore the concepts as a strategy
for raising funding to support their social programs, Krama Retreat Marketing team will conduct research
to bring the concept to practice. In this research proposal, our team will outline the data that we need to
collect, the methods used, and the timeline schedule.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The popularity of Yoga and the industry’s low barriers have resulted in more players entering the
industry, which has heightened competition and subsequently hurt the profit margin of overall Yoga
operators in Australia. This leads to the struggles of Yoga operators to overcome the rising expenses.
Yoga studios compete significantly on the basis of price, and customers can easily change studios if a
more competitive price is available elsewhere. However, the already low profit margin of the industry
limits the degree to which operators can lower their prices. As a result, operators need to differentiate
themselves from competitors in other aspects to retain customers (IBIS World Industry Report 2018
Pilates and Yoga Studios in Australia).

This requires Krama Retreat to know in-depth their target audience and competitors, which allows them
to satisfy their customers and gain competitiveness. Given this requirement, there are two areas of
research that need to be conducted:

(1) Target audience research

(2) Competition research

TARGET AUDIENCE RESEARCH PROPOSAL

1. Research objectives

The research focuses on collecting data about specific aspects and characteristics of Krama Retreat’s
target audience, which is international yoga teachers. However, our team narrow down the scope to only
consider Australian yoga teachers, as it would be too costly and time-consuming to conduct research on
several markets. The objective of this research is to identify:

• The factors affecting Australian yoga teachers’ decision in choosing yoga retreat destinations
• Effective communication channels to reach the target audience

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2. The information needed

2.1. Factors affecting Australian yoga teachers’ decision in choosing yoga retreat destinations

To be able to indentify factors affecting yoga teachers’ decision in choosing a destination to operate
their business, our team proposed gathering information about what kinds of problems Australian
have and what requirements they and their students seek for a yoga retreat location.

2.1.1. Problem Australian yoga teachers are facing

Existing data about yoga operators in Australia has shown the challenges that they have when
running their business, such as the difficulties to create profits due to the intense competition,
the struggles to overcome rising expenses, etc (IBIS World Industry Report 2018 Pilates and Yoga
Studios in Australia). However, this information is not enough, since it is still broad and general.
To understand more thoroughly the problems that Australian yoga operators struggle with, and
thereby provide them solutions to improve their business and also motivate them to choose
Krama Retreat, the following additional data is required:

• Their current business situation. Their revenue, profit, the number of customers,
partnerships, etc.
• Operational issues they have when managing their business. Yoga teachers may have been
experiencing the following issues: Unable to manage cash flow; Lack of business
partnerships; Hardship in hiring skilled and experienced yoga teachers; Attract and retain
students.
• Obstacles Australian yoga teachers have when choosing an overseas business partner. The
difficulties possibly come from the lack of: International payment; Business coach and
consultation; Supporting services such as a Yoga teacher training program; Incorporating
marketing and advertising programs with image promotion.

2.1.2. Requirements of Yoga teachers as well as their students for a yoga retreat location

Yoga teachers and their students’ requirements might be from the following aspects:

• Location: The natural beauty of the location, whether the yoga retreat is positioned in an
area with high foot traffic or convenient for customers, whether it is near any cultural
attraction (museum, historical building, etc).
• Physical evidence: Interior design, facilities, equipment for yoga practice.
• Operational efficiency: Easy-to-use online booking system, Pick up service from the
airport, etc.
• Activities and Programs: Different types of yoga classes, Wide range of other activities
(Diving, Painting, Hiking, etc).
• Staffs: Skilled and experienced yoga instructors
• Price: The availability of yoga package with other combos

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 2.2. Effective communication channels to reach the target audience

Since the basic idea of gathering information of communication is to sell the retreat idea to yoga
teachers and then the yoga teachers will sell it to the end-users. Therefore, Krama Retreat need to
find out:

• Where do yoga teachers search for a destination to operate their business (Through social
media or through websites or through attending yoga events).
• Which communication channel they think is the most effective when they find information
about a yoga destination.
• What kinds of communication channels they use to attract students.
• Which communication channel they think is the most effective to attract yoga students.

3. Research methods

3.1. Primary data

Our team proposed using both qualitative research and quantitative research in studying about
Krama Retreat target audience – Autralian yoga teachers.

3.1.1. Qualitative research

Online in-depth interview. In-depth interviews with Australian yoga teachers will be conducted
to collect primary data. Due to the geographical barrier and the Covid-19 pandemic, interviews
will be online using platforms such as Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, etc. Interviews last from
30 to 60 minutes, and all interviews will be recorded for further transcription and analysis.

With this format, interviewers can generate more insightful responses and provide a greater
opportunity to ask follow-up questions. This allows gaining a rich understanding of problems that
Australian yoga teachers are facing, what they and their students are seeking from a yoga retreat
destination, and also which communication channel is the most effective.

3.1.2. Quantitative research

Online survey questionnaire. An online questionnaire will be uploaded and sent to Australian
yoga teachers via emails. The questionnaire combines multiple-choice questions with predefined
answers, offering respondents the possibility to choose and rank, with open-ended questions as
they can deliver new, unexpected insights and provide more details. All data will be gathered and
used by SPSS to analyze.

With this format, interviewers can quantify general knowledge of factors affecting Australian
yoga teachers’ decisions when choosing a yoga retreat destination as well as their most preferred
communication channel.

3.2. Secondary data

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 In order to generate enough information to develop a series of structured questions, we also collect
more secondary data from published studies, articles, etc. to better understand the characteristics of
the target audience.

COMPETITION RESEARCH PROPOSAL

1. Research objectives

This research aims to investigate alternative yoga services that are available in different countries to
understand the competitors’ comparative advantages and strategies. Specifically, we focus the study on
the Australian, US, and UK markets.

2. The information needed

The rise of wellness tourism is enticing new entrants into the market, as well as new forms of
competition. Therefore, Krama Retreat needs to understand our competitors to seek out new ways to
distinguish Krama Retreat from competitors. To be able to do that, Krama Retreat need to find out:

• The classification of competitors (direct or indirect)

• The services they are providing (based on 7P elements), whether they innovate in business
methods as well as their services
• Their media activities (through which kinds of communication channels) and how they reach
their target audience
• Who are their target customers and their customers’ satisfaction

3. Research methods

3.1. Primary data

Our team proposed using both qualitative research and quantitative research to study about
competitors.

3.1.1. Qualitative research

Online interview with international yoga teachers. As the need to do research about the
competitors, our team will contact both Australian yoga teachers and other international yoga
teachers from UK and US for an online interview, which will be conducted through Google Meets,
Microsoft Teams, etc. Interviewers will ask international yoga teachers about the details of some
of yoga retreat destinations that they have chosen to run their business and also their true
thoughts about those places (the services competitors are providing, how the customers think of
their strengths and weaknesses, and how satisfied they are). All interviews will be recorded for
further analysis.

Interview with competitors. Choose some of the most well-known competitors to conduct
interviews via phone using their hotline.The questions will be about the services they currently

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 provide, their target customers, and what innovatives they have. All interviews will be written
down for further analysis.

3.1.2. Quantitative research

Online survey. This includes multiple-choice and open questions that will be used to gather
information about yoga teachesr and practictioners and their thoughts about yoga retreat
centers that they have used. The questions will be uploaded to Krama Retreat’s fanpage and
other social media groups about yoga. All data will be gathered and used by SPSS to analyze.

3.2. Secondary data

In order to to gain a deeper understanding of the competitors, we also collect more secondary data
from published studies, articles, etc. and visit competitors’ website for more information.

TIME SCHEDULE

Task Execution time

Prepare proposal 8/6 – 13/6/2021

Design research 14/6 – 30/6/2021

(Prepare both intervew and survey questions)

Pilot testing 1/7 – 8/7/2021

Collect data 8/7 – 8/8/2021

Filter valid data for analysing 9/8 – 16/8/2021

Analyse data 17/8 – 24/8/2021

Final report 25/9 – 31/8/2021

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REFERENCES

Azman, I., & Kim, J. L. C. (2012), International health and spa tourists’ motivational factors in Sabah,
Malaysia: the push and pull factors, Journal of Tourism, Hospitality & Culinary Arts, 4(3), 87-104.

IBIS World Industry Report OD4198 (2018), Pilates and Yoga Studios in Australia

Global Wellness Institute (2018), Global Wellness Tourism Economy

Kelly, C. (2012), Wellness Tourism: Retreat Visitor Motivations and Experiences, Tourism and Recreation
Research, 37:3, 205-213, Routledge

Knight, J. Ensor, J. (2017), Salute to the sun: An exploration of UK yoga tourist profiles, Tourism and
Recreation Research, 42:4, 484-497, Routledge

Maharani, I. A. K., Parta, I. B. M. W., & Supriadi, I. B. P. (2020), Factors Influencing Yoga Tourism in Bali:
Conceptual Framework Model, Vidyottama Sanatana: International Journal of Hindu Science and
Religious Studies, 4(1), 20-27.

Tuzunkan, D. (2018), Wellness Tourism: What Motivates Tourists to Participate?, International Journal of
Applied Engineering Research, 13(1), 651-661.

Xiran, Y. Lheto, S.B., Chen, Y. Morrison, A. (2006), Yoga Tourism as a Niche Within the Wellness Tourism
Market, Tourism Recreation Research, 31:1, 25-30, Routledge