1. Elements for a Business Plan
for
Doi Inthanon National Park
Daniel Navid, Consultant CATSPA

2. What is a Business Plan?
Business Plans are comprehensive documents presenting:
 objectives and programs;
 financial requirements;
 actual and potential revenue sources;
 an indication of the allocation of resources to specific needs; and
 the adoption of strategies to bridge financial gaps.
Business plans have long been used in commercial and in non-profit
settings. Now they are applied increasingly to the work of
government agencies and are used to assist with management
planning for individual protected areas.
They can help protected area managers set priorities and identify
financial needs and opportunities. Protected area Business Plans
also provide valuable information that can build confidence with
stakeholders, partners and donors.

3. Why Take A Business Plan Approach for PAs?
Protected Areas are not commercial operations. They have not
been created as businesses to earn a profit or return a financial benefit
to investors. They are a public good that should be supported by
the public (i.e. government funding through taxes or user fees).
However, as with a business, a successful protected area needs to be
financially sound.
As protected area management has become more demanding, the
annual government budget has not always been sufficient, so
additional sources of funding must be sought.
In addition to helping to organize management, a Business Plan can
aid in tapping new financial sources for protected areas by:
 presenting an analysis of benefits and services provided by a site,
 identifying potential sources of support; and
 providing a financial strategy to secure that support.

4. Fitting Business Plans within PA Management
Protected Area Management should be seen as a continuum:
 Enabling legislation (and as relevant constitutional provisions) are required
to set the framework and the policies for managing a country’s protected areas.
 A long-term System Plan, with associated Policies should be put in place to
give a strategic vision on the priorities for the protected areas network .
 At site level a Management Plan with application for several years is required.
The site should be comprehensively described, its values and features fully
explained and the intentions and priorities for management presented.
 Business Plans are then used to help ensure the efficient achievement of
management objectives. A Business Plan should have application for a shorter
period than the Management Plan and should be modified as circumstances
change. It should include an analysis of funding requirements to implement
management priorities along with a strategy to secure required new funding
while also assessing cost efficiencies.
 Annual Work Plans then describe the actions to be taken at a site each
year, with specific activities linked to budgetary allocations.

5. Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan
Section 1 - Basic Information including:
 Physical description, including maps, showing the features and boundaries of the park
 Natural resources within the park: species, habitats and conservation values
(including ecosystem services), and cultural factors, including the presence and role of
local communities, as well as religious and cultural values within the park.
 Visitation to the park and the challenges of visitor management.
 The legal basis for the designation and management of the park (the National Parks
Act and subsequent regulations);
 Infrastructure at the park (including personnel) and the management procedures
followed at the park including the presence and role of government ministries or
departments;
 Funding history for the park, tracing the nature and magnitude of government
budgetary appropriations, specific project support, and revenue (e.g. admission fees).
It would be most helpful also to present a Mission Statement for Doi Inthanon NP.

6. Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan
Section 2 – Presentation of activities
A listing of activities from the Management Plan with an indicative budget
needed for implementation presented in four sectors:
1) Management of Resources
Species management programs, research, restoration efforts, fire management, cultural
site protection, law enforcement, management of archives and collections.
2) Visitor and Community Relations
Visitor and visitor center management, information, and interpretation
materials, management of admission fee collection, in-park concessions, visitor safety
and related law enforcement. Also activities designed to enhance cooperation with local
communities.
3) Facility Operations and Maintenance
Repair, replacement, or rehabilitation of buildings, roads, trails, utilities, vehicles, and
other equipment.
4) Administration
Park leadership, planning, financial management, staff management and
development, communications, and information technology.

7. Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan
Section 3 – Financial Information
Presentation of necessary financial information to allow for a basic
understanding of the resources available for the management of Doi Inthanon
NP.
Consideration can then be given to the adequacy of existing funding and in
which areas, and in which magnitude, additional support is required.
A financial statement should be provided showing Doi Inthanon’s
financial situation for the coming year, and beyond – e.g. for a five-year
time horizon.
The Financial Statement should reflect expenditure requirements, as
well as projected income, and for ease of reference it should be prepared
according to the four proposed categories of activities.

8. Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan
Section 4 - Strategies to overcome financial gaps (1)
This section of the Business Plan will address the strategies to be followed to
overcome financial limitations.
In fixing strategies, some basic criteria should be observed, giving priority to
promoting action that is:
 Clearly linked to a management goal of the park;
 Consistent with Thai protected area policy;
 Capable of being implemented without major disruption to existing
personnel; and is
 Likely to have a positive and measurable benefit.
The Business Plan should identify new and as yet unfunded priority
projects (with an indicative cost) within each of the proposed four categories
of activities. For example in Resources Management these might include
control of exotic species, re-introduction of hornbills or gibbons, improved
Smart Patrolling, new research activities, etc.

9. Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan
Section 4 - Strategies to overcome financial gaps (2)
Reducing costs must also be an important element to increase
the financial resources of the park. Priority should be given to
promoting:
 Energy savings including the application of local projects e.g.
micro-turbines utilizing water through pipelines or mini-wind
turbines. Ideas for projects should be pursued via cooperation
with local technical partners.
 Expand recycling facilities in the park;
 Provide incentives for park employees to save on energy or
to provide suggestions for cost savings; and
 Consider competitive outsourcing for certain services
currently performed by park personnel

10. Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan
Section 4 - Strategies to overcome financial gaps (3)
The Business Plan must consider the sources for new and additional funding. Such
funding could be channeled through the proposed DI Conservation Trust Fund.
Options include:
 Possible increase in entry fees and introduction of other user fees (e.g. permits for
limited entry to certain sensitive areas);
 Partnerships with commercial entities for concession activities within the park;
 Limited branded support from corporate partners (e.g. logos on signage, building
facilities, brochures, maps, etc;
 Develop a strategy to pursue individual and corporate donations including on-site
collection points;
 Develop a marketing strategy for Doi Inthanon including park communications and
outreach;
 Seek project funding for park priorities from national or international
foundation or program grants);
 Develop programs for volunteer support at the park. e.g. volunteer guides or volunteer
technical services;
 Develop partnerships with NGOs, academia and student groups for joint
research, sales of conservation documentation and other activities; and
 Consider the eventual introduction, or at least publicity about, potential payment for
ecosystem services from the park.

11. Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan
Section 5 - Communication Strategy /Public Outreach
A communication strategy is an integral part of the Business Plan, identifying
stakeholders, defining key messages and communication methods for different purposes.
Options for communicating messages include:
 Traditional print materials distribution
 Electronic media, including email, list serves, websites
 Social media tools, e.g., YouTube, Face book, Twitter
 Media, including TV, display ads, news releases, press conferences
 Public Meetings/Hearings
 Workshops, face to face meetings with stakeholders
 School activities
 On-site public events/celebrations
In all cases consideration should be given to providing information in various
languages to reach a growing number of interested visitors. For Doi Inthanon NP visitor
information materials could usefully be produced in the Thai, English, Chinese, Malay
and Russian languages.

12. Proposed Content of a Doi Inthanon Business Plan
Section 6 - Final Information
Protected Area Business Plans usually are completed with a few
final sections of acknowledgements and annexes which
might include:
 summary of achievements,
 listings of project allocations,
 descriptions of administrative structures,
 financial performance indicators,
 regulatory framework information.
It is also common to include a final page from the Director or
the Minister, offering thoughts for the future.

13. Style and Design
Finally consideration needs to be given to the style
and design of the Business Plan.
Since the Business Plan will also have utility as a
fund-raising and information tool, it will be
important to make it attractive and accessible to
different types of readers. Attractive photos from Doi
Inthanon will be essential. A reader-friendly lay-
out, with maps, graphs and side-bar boxes will also
be most important.