This startup invites you to combine your next trip to Indonesia with a social cause

Tourism constitutes a major pillar of the economy in Indonesia. According to data from the the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the total contribution of travel and tourism to the GDP was at 9.2 percent in 2013, and is projected to rise to 9.6 percent by 2024.

Inbound tourism from abroad as well as domestic tourism can help bring opportunities and development to remote areas of the archipelago. However, irresponsible growth of the tourism industry can also bring harm to ecosystems and communities. Globally, a trend towards more and more individualistic forms of tourism is on the rise. Travelmarketreport.com calls this trend a “growth in creative tourism”. Creative travelers seek experiences in foreign cultures that are unique, environmentally sustainable, and culturally sensitive.

GoArchipelago, an Indonesian startup launched in mid-February, targets this demographic. It’s a platform where travelers can book off-the-beaten-track adventures and contribute to social causes at the same time.

Henry Vienayoko, founder of GoArchipelago, firmly believes in social entrepreneurship. He has left behind a career in a multinational company to start up on his own.

GoArchipelago is based on the assumption that enough travellers will buy into the idea of “travelling for a cause”. Both hosts and travellers commit to donate a percentage of the booking fee to one of GoArchipelago’s partner organisations, on top of a fee that goes to the platform. At present, these partner organisations are Sabang Merauke and 1000Guru. Both are concerned with bringing better education to remote parts of Indonesia.

GoArchipelago’s cooperation with 1000Guru goes beyond donations. Travellers can actually book 1000Guru experiences on the platform. With 1000Guru, they will travel to and live in some of the remotest areas of Indonesia and participate in 1000Guru’s education programs as temporary teachers.

Since the site went live mid-February, there are now 10 hosts offering 28 different tour packages in 18 locations. Vienayoko says only about 100 users have registered, and there have been no bookings so far. He said his main concern for now was to grow the number of tour offerings on the site first.

GoArchipelago is a this stage entirely bootstrapped, and Vienayoko intends to keep it that way. His strategy is to keep the technological requirements and the team lean and to grow slowly.

In this specific segment, GoArchipelago’s commitment quality and authenticity might put them at an advantage over more aggressive travel sites with larger budgets and loud marketing. Individualistic travelers could find it appealing to book through a company they can trust and believe in.

But GoArchipelago’s challenge will be to effectively identify and reach out to their particular market, and to stay competitive in terms of pricing. They will need to place themselves ahead of other companies in the “creative travel” segment, and there are many. Among GoArchipelago’s local and international competitors are TripTrus, Gogonesia, Valadoo, Tripvisto, Triip, and GetYourGuide.