Leisure resources are created and require the discovery, recognition and development to lead to their use (Hall and Page 2002b, p.284). This sub-section will thus address how the particular leisure resource (in this case the island environment of Pulau Segayang) was discovered and developed. Though Hall and Page (2002b) were referring to historical developments, the need to trace the development and
articulation of the resort is relevant here as well as it outlines the processes undertaken to lead to the transformation of an uninhabited island to an island resort. The establishment of Coral Cove Resort is the result of the entrepreneurial vision of Mr Ng, who leased the island from an Indonesian called Jala (per. comm., Ng, 08/10/05).
The island was leased for 154 million Indonesian Rupiahs (around S$32,000), along with additional stamp duties and other administrative fees (per. comm., Ng, 08/10/05).
Mr Ng’s initial plan was to set up a small island base whereby he could conduct community-based projects, such as buying milk powder and organising donation drives for island villages. He was impressed with the natural charm and the seclusion such an island environment provides, and thus decided to run a business enterprise that will allow him not only to continue his community-based projects but also to provide guests with a rustic and nature-based experience, one that starkly contrasts with the city of Singapore. He believes that the total tourism experience that Coral Cove Resort is able to offer is unique in the numerous nature-based activities available and is beneficial to local communities in a variety of ways. The underlying motive for getting guests engaged in a whirlwind of activities is to cultivate in guests fond memories of a nature-based experience that they will bring home, and hopefully market the island on behalf of the resort through word of mouth recommendations. He thus brings to the development of Coral Cove Resort a combination of entrepreneurial drive and community spirit, and answered the call for further investment in nature- based tourism ventures in peripheral areas (Boyd and Hall 2005).
Mr Ng has contributed not only financially to the development of the resort but has adopted a hands-on approach in the construction, operation and management of the island resort and its associated activities. His level of involvement includes staff
management, over-seeing technical and construction developments, cooking lessons (for example, teaching kitchen staff how to prepare sashimi, or fresh raw fish for the guests - usually fish that has been caught by guests themselves or the staff), guest relations, marketing, developing social and economic ties with dive and fishing operators, organising travel logistics for visiting groups, purchasing of supplies and even conducting activity clinics for guests such as snorkelling, fishing and donation drives for neighbouring island fishing villages (field observations).
In other words, Mr Ng has been involved in almost every aspect of the resort’s development, operation and management. There seems to be little in the way of a middle management hierarchy. Though the resort has employed managers (both Indonesians and Singaporeans), the managers have not stayed with the resort on a long-term basis, and even when the managers were around, it is common to see Mr Ng adopting numerous roles at the same time – from liaising logistical arrangements to interacting with guests and overseeing maintenance of the resort’s infrastructure (field observations). This lack of a middle management has had both positive and negative aspects. For example, because of his personal involvement, Mr Ng is thus the common factor that binds the different components of the island tourism development framework together. His relationships with guests, staff, residents of Pulau Petong, tour operators and governmental officials have all played a part in how the resort has developed (Figure 4-1) and it has been his contacts and linkages that have helped to develop the resort. On the negative side however, Mr Ng has had trouble finding trustworthy people to help him out and that has considerably added to his responsibilities.
Mr Ng Indonesia
• Lease of island from Indonesian owner
• Acquiring staff for employment on the resort
• Residents of Pulau Petong
• Government agencies
• Contacts in Batam to purchase supplies for the resort
• Transport companies to arrange transport logistics
Singapore
• Advertising & marketing support (through
Lighthouse Adventures Pte Ltd)
• Singaporean guests
• Additional shareholders/
partners
• Managers to work on the island
• Dive & Fishing Operators
• Travel agencies
Figure 4-1: Mr Ng’s Indonesia & Singapore Linkages
Mr Ng’s entrepreneurial vision is somewhat similar to the Indonesian Government’s current drive to lease out islands for tourism ventures and BIDA’s desire to develop the region’s tourism potential – albeit the difference being that the government’s focus is on developing luxury, high-end resorts (Osman 2006a) whilst Mr Ng’s personal venture has focused on giving guests a nature-based experience. Mr Ng’s personal philosophy steered him in developing this commercial venture that has a touch of civic consciousness. Through the interaction and reciprocal relationships he developed with staff and neighbouring island villages, Mr Ng hopes to tie neighbouring island communities and the economic aspect of resort management and operation together (per. comm., Ng, 08/10/05).
When operating a small business, one of the most essential components to the failure or success of the business enterprise depends on the quality of management skill and the knowledge of the owner/operator (McKercher and Robbins 1998). In Coral Cove Resort’s developmental experience, it has been the dynamic and personal nature of development that has made it different from other large-scale resorts that are owned
by corporations or consortiums. Be it in terms of acquiring governmental support, liaising with naval personnel, establishing cooperative relationships with local communities and employing staff, the management has geared towards developing and maintaining personal relationships and even creating friendships that will aid in the operation and management of the resort, whilst at the same time attempting to return a measure of benefit to the local communities (field observations, 10/06/06 &
12/11/06). This has been the conscious management style of Mr Ng and has added to the character of the resort.