<p>Over the past few years, sustainable rural tourism has been trending in the travel industry. Seeing a business opportunity, NYU SPS graduate student Rizal Adhari created a travel startup to capitalize on the growing interest in experiences where travelers immerse themselves in traditional rural lifestyles.</p> <p>Working with the Hospitality Innovation Hub (HI Hub) Incubator Program at the<a href="/content/sps-nyu/about/academic-divisions-and-departments/jonathan-m-tisch-center-of-hospitality.html"> Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality</a>, the<a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-travel-and-tourism-management.html"> MS in Travel and Tourism Management</a> student created a startup called Sobat Bolang, an Indonesian term for “traveling mate.” His startup project is an integrated digital platform designed for travelers interested in rural destinations, interacting with fellow travelers, and connecting to reliable local travel suppliers while supporting sustainable development. </p>

<p>Adari’s project, featured at the 2023–2024 NYU SPS Capstone Fair, was born out of a Tisch Center design thinking course involving the creation of an entrepreneurial venture that took advantage of a burgeoning industry trend.</p> <p>Adari designed a venture where neighbors in a village act as a team to support local tourism while giving the tourists an authentic taste of the local culture and lifestyle in Indonesia. For his project, he translated this venture into a minimum viable product or a basic version of a venture that can be built into a full-fledged business, and identified potential partners. He also built a business plan that has been partially funded.</p>

<p><span class="p-body">According to Adhari, Indonesia is the biggest archipelago country in the world, and the government owns and operates several rural tourism villages, including the<a href="https://desawisatapulesari.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> Desa Wisata Pulesari</a> Tourist Village.</span></p> <p>Adhari points out that rural tourism in Indonesia holds vast potential, yet several hurdles still need to be overcome to become a top rural destination. “Difficult access to visit is an obstacle, besides trust and safety issues are big concerns, as well as an awareness towards sustainable development is needed,” added Adhari. He hopes that Sobat Bolang will become a solution for Indonesia and other global rural destinations.</p>

<p><span class="p-body">“The HI Hub Incubator Program was one of my main reasons to pursue my master’s degree at NYU, and participating in the [HI Hub] program was part of my study plan since the beginning,” said Adhari. He found that this program offered him an impressive number of services with a tremendous mentor and investor network that aligned well with his business startup idea in the tourism industry.</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">Following his <a href="/content/sps-nyu/experience/how-youll-learn/the-hospitality-innovation-hub.html" target="_blank">HI Hub</a> experience, Adhari is excited and looking forward to working further with the fantastic program mentors to reshape Sobat Bolang and launch it into the market soon.</span></p>

<p><span class="p-body">NYU School of Professional Studies’ Capstone Program provides graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to apply their classroom learning in complex, real-world environments. The final product exemplifies the volume and depth of theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom. Held each spring, the annual Capstone Fair features projects that embody the School's innovative spirit. We invite students graduating in the spring and fall and summer graduates to participate. Students apply via form, and faculty can nominate individuals or teams.</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">Discover how NYU SPS can help your start-up. Learn more about the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/experience/how-youll-learn/the-hospitality-innovation-hub.html" target="_blank">NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality HI Hub Incubator Program</a> and its mission to provide NYU-affiliated start-up businesses and young entrepreneurs with core business services.</span></p>