Fetze Pijlman is a senior tourism business expert at the Swiss Senior Expert Corps on a consultancy mission in Ukraine. But the industry veteran is not charging for his services. Like thousands of colleagues worldwide, he is providing business advice for free.
“Not many
people and businesses in Ukraine know that there is such a possibility to
invite an expert to consult your enterprise for free,” Pijlman said.
He is here
to consult Radomysl castle, a newly opened museum and park in Zhytomyr Oblast,
reconstructed by doctor and singer Olga Bohomolets. But he insists that any
firm can get such expert help from the
Swiss Senior Expert Corps or similar European organizations. “Olga (Bohomolets)
just simply filed an application and Swiss Corps picked me up, as the one
experienced in tourism businesses,” Pijlman explains.
Senior
Expert Corps is a part of Swiss contact organization that helps enterprises in
developing countries increase profitability, access loans or simply improve
their business. According to the organization’s website Senior Expert Corps
consists of retired businessmen or professionals in different fields, who can
be called for free help. “I am not getting any money for this, the enterprise I
work with has to pay for my accommodation and food only,” expert says.
Pijlman has
worked with wedding and event organizers in many European countries, including
Netherlands, England and Germany and has consulted different enterprises in
Russia, Moldova and Africa.
But the
diverse locations hide a surprisingly common set of problems. “All developing
countries suffer from corruption and, this is very important for the tourism
branch, from bad roads,” Pijlman said. No matter how nice a tourism location
you are, he adds, it doesn’t matter if no one can get there.
Pijlman
says there is an easy formula for any tourism destination to be successful.
“What you can see inside should be unique, what you see outside should look
good, and how you can get there should be easy enough,” he said.
“From what
I can see in Ukraine and other developing countries, people get used to poor
conditions of roads, but in Western Europe a tourist will rather choose not to
visit a place than endanger the vehicle,” Pijlman explains.
Pijlman was
born in Holland where he managed his own exhibition organizing firm for 10
years, selling it when the market peaked. “I think from the businesses I’ve
been involved with exhibition organizing is the most profitable one now, but
tourism has huge prospects, especially here in Eastern Europe,” the expert
says. “Tourists are getting tired of visiting France or Italy for the 10th
time, they already want to discover new places and that’s where Ukraine can
earn a lot,” he said.
It’s been
two weeks since the Dutch expert has been in Ukraine, advising Radomysl castle,
which he says is a very promising project. “They have several great,
well-decorated halls where they can conduct anything from weddings to
exhibitions, team-building events and jazz festivals. So many possibilities,”
he said.
But success
will depend on cooperation with local authorities and their efforts to fix up
the region’s roads. “The castle has a great economic value for the region,” he
explained. “Well, the officials promised that they will make a road when they
have money or if they have money,” he laughed.
According
to Pijlman there are over a dozen European experts working on consultancy
missions with Ukrainian small and medium enterprises now, and more than 7,000
worldwide from the Swiss consultancy alone. “Our global goal is to create work
places, but we never oblige companies to undergo any checks after our visits,”
Pijlman said. “We just give advice and businessmen can either take them or
not,” he said.
Kyiv Post staff writer Daryna Shevchenko can be reached at [email protected].
