Safari Tours & Travel Manado

What Safari Tours & Travel Manado does

Safari Tours & Travel Manado (legal entity PT. USAHAWISATA SAFARI EKSKURSI) is a privately held, Manado-based inbound tour operator founded in 2000 and operating under Managing Director Ninny Ruata Barnes and General Manager Jeremy Howard Barnes. The company plans and books travel itineraries for international diving tourists, international adventure and nature tourists, Indonesian domestic (WNI/KITAS) travelers, and corporate/MICE groups, with services spanning hotel reservations, scuba diving packages (Bunaken National Marine Park, Lembeh Strait, Bangka/Gangga), land tours (Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Minahasa Highlands, volcano trekking), cultural and multi-island overland tours (Bali, Toraja, Flores, Kalimantan, Komodo, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Yogyakarta, Jakarta), and ancillary services including domestic flight ticketing, airport transfers, and car/bus rental with driver.

The core product portfolio combines proprietary offerings — most notably Kelana Cruises, a 16m private liveaboard launched in 2012 and exclusively marketed through the company — with channel-partner reseller agreements on six additional Indonesian liveaboards (KLM Sunshine, Ikan Biru, MY Emperor Raja Laut, MSY Dewi Nusantara, The Arenui, MSV Amira). Underlying technology is intentionally minimal: the business is service-based, with a WordPress content and inquiry website (manadosafaris.com), WhatsApp/email as primary booking channels, and integrations limited to BCA Gateway, Wise and PayPal for international payment processing, plus TripAdvisor for organic discovery.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and event-driven tour operation. Revenue is generated through package margins on tailor-made and pre-designed tours, commissions on liveaboard charters, service fees on domestic Indonesian flight ticketing issued for international travel agents (a service difficult to procure from outside Indonesia), per-unit pricing on transfer and car rental services, and corporate meeting (Paket Meeting) packages for the WNI/KITAS market. Pricing is bifurcated by currency — USD for international segments and IDR for domestic WNI/KITAS packages — with a 1.1% VAT applied since October 2023. Distribution relies on organic and referral channels (TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice, Facebook, testimonials, repeat customers) rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Safari Tours & Travel Manado

Legal name

PT. USAHAWISATA SAFARI EKSKURSI

Website

https://manadosafaris.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Safari Tours & Travel Manado is a privately held Indonesian inbound tour operator founded in 2000, booking diving packages, liveaboard charters, land tours, and hotels for international tourists and domestic WNI/KITAS travelers across North Sulawesi and wider Indonesia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour Operator and Travel Agency Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (48711), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Safari & Wildlife Travel Agencies (THAKAFAG)

Keywords

• Diving tour packages
• Scuba diving bookings
• Liveaboard charters
• Adventure land tours
• Travel agency services

Headquarters

HQ city

Jogyakarta

HQ country

Indonesia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tour Packages & Adventure Packages: Core revenue stream from pre-designed and tailor-made tour packages covering North Sulawesi, Bunaken, Lembeh Strait, Tangkoko, Minahasa Highlands, and extended destinations across Indonesia including Bali, Toraja, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Flores, Kalimantan, and West Papua. Packages include hotels, transfers, guides, meals, and activities. Also includes corporate meeting packages (Paket Meeting) for Indonesian domestic (WNI/KITAS) market.
2. Scuba Diving & Liveaboard Bookings: Books guests onto liveaboard vessels (Kelana Cruises, KLM Sunshine, Ikan Biru, MY Emperor Raja Laut, MSY Dewi Nusantara, The Arenui, MSV Amira) and scuba diving packages in Bunaken, Lembeh Strait, and Bangka/Gangga. Revenue earned through commissions and package margins on diving arrangements.
3. Domestic Flight Ticketing: Reserves and issues domestic flight tickets within Indonesia on behalf of international travel agents and individual travelers. A service fee is charged for this ticketing service covering airlines such as Lion Air, Garuda, Batik Air, Wings Air, Super Jet, Citilink, NAM Air, and Sriwijaya Air.
4. Car & Bus Rental: Provides vehicle rental with driver services in North Sulawesi, including hourly and daily rates. Charges per hour (IDR 200,000 minimum 3 hours) or per day (IDR 1,800,000 for 8 hours), and one-way long-distance transport such as Gorontalo drop-offs (IDR 6,000,000).
5. Airport & Hotel Transfers: Provides airport pickup and drop-off services at Sam Ratulangi Airport. Normal operating hours 8 AM – 6 PM included in packages; additional charges apply outside these hours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Safari Tours & Travel is a Manado-based tour operator and travel agency that designs, sells and reserves tailor-made holiday packages centered on diving, wildlife and cultural tourism in North Sulawesi and across Indonesia. Core offerings include diving packages (Bunaken, Lembeh Strait, Bangka/Gangga), land adventure and cultural tours (Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Minahasa Highlands, volcano trekking, Toraja, Bali, Flores, Kalimantan), liveaboard charters (own Kelana Cruises plus six partner liveaboards), hotel reservations, domestic flight ticketing, car/bus rental, and airport transfers — all coordinated through one local operator.

Product overview

Safari Tours & Travel is a traditional travel agency and tour operator based in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The company operates as a tour planning and booking service offering a portfolio of travel products centered around diving packages (Bunaken National Park, Lembeh Strait, Bangka/Gangga), land tours (Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Minahasa Highlands, volcano treks), liveaboard charters (including their own Kelana Cruises and partner liveaboards across Indonesia), accommodation reservations, domestic flight bookings, and ground transportation services. The business model is a unified travel agency offering interconnected services rather than a modular platform—the core offering combines tour planning expertise with reservation management for hotels, diving, flights, and vehicles, all coordinated through their team. The product portfolio spans both proprietary offerings (Kelana Cruises liveaboard, North Sulawesi diving packages, Paket Rupiah domestic packages) and partner products (multiple partner liveaboards across Indonesia, Bali tours, Flores overland tours, Kalimantan orangutan expeditions).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kelana Cruises Private Liveaboard Charter — Komodo Private charter liveaboard in Komodo National Park for up to 6 guests in 3 cabins; full board, non-alcoholic beverages, activities, scuba diving with divemaster, airport transfers, tax and services included. Valid 10 Jan 2026–9 Jan 2027.
• KLM Sunshine Liveaboard Liveaboard diving in North Sulawesi, Sangihe, Halmahera and Togian Islands for up to 8-10 divers with NITROX support; marketed and booked through Safari Tours for its international diving clients.
• Ikan Biru Liveaboard

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• North Sulawesi Watersports AssociationminorOthersSafari Tours lists the North Sulawesi Watersports Association (divenorthsulawesi.com) as a recommended website, indicating an informal industry referral and information-sharing relationship within the diving and watersports community in North Sulawesi.
• Selamatkan Yaki (Sulawesi Crested Black Macaque Conservation)minorOthersSafari Tours recommends Selamatkanyaki.com, an organization working to save the Sulawesi crested black macaque and their habitat. This reflects alignment with the company's wildlife tourism focus, particularly around Tangkoko Nature Reserve where these macaques are a key attraction.
• Kelana CruisescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKelana Cruises is a private liveaboard yacht (16m, 3 cabins, max 6 guests) launched in 2012, exclusively offered through Safari Tours for charter bookings in Komodo National Park. Safari Tours acts as the primary booking and marketing channel, earning commissions on each charter. The yacht offers fully tailored diving and island-hopping experiences with USD 2,185–2,600/night pricing.
• KLM Sunshine LiveaboardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKLM Sunshine is a 30m liveaboard (max 8-10 divers) offering Nitrox diving in North Sulawesi, Sangihe, Halmahera, and Togian Islands. Safari Tours serves as the booking intermediary, offering the vessel to its international customer base.
• Ikan Biru LiveaboardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIkan Biru is an advanced-only diving liveaboard in Komodo offering a 'hop on, hop off' concept with a minimum 3-night stay and up to 5 dives per day. Safari Tours books guests onto this vessel and markets it to their international diving clients.
• MY Emperor Raja LautcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMY Emperor Raja Laut is a traditional Dutch schooner (12 berths) visiting Raja Ampat, Triton Bay, Komodo, and Banda Sea. With 7 crew and 3 dive guides, it is marketed by Safari Tours to divers and non-divers alike seeking multi-destination Indonesian liveaboard experiences.
• MSY Dewi NusantaracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMSY Dewi Nusantara is a 57m three-masted topsail schooner (9 cabins, max 18 passengers) offering premium diving expeditions across the Indonesian archipelago. Safari Tours markets this vessel and handles bookings for their high-end clientele.
• The Arenui Boutique LiveaboardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Arenui is a traditional Indonesian Phinisi liveaboard (16 guests max, 22 crew) exploring Raja Ampat, Komodo, Banda Sea, Alor, and beyond. Safari Tours offers this vessel to its customers as part of a curated liveaboard portfolio.
• MSV Amira LiveaboardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMSV Amira is a 52m vessel (10 cabins, max 18-24 guests) visiting Raja Ampat, Komodo, Banda Sea, Alor, and the Forgotten Islands. Safari Tours serves as a booking agent for this vessel within the Indonesian liveaboard network.
• Bank Central Asia (BCA)minorOthersSafari Tours uses BCA Gateway for credit card payments (MasterCard, Visa, American Express, JCB, UnionPay) on bookings. This enables international customers to pay securely via card rather than bank transfer.
• Wise (formerly TransferWise)minorOthersWise is recommended by Safari Tours as a cost-effective international money transfer service for customers making payments in multiple currencies (GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, CAD). This helps customers avoid high bank transfer fees when paying deposits and balances.
• Scoot (Singapore Airlines subsidiary)minorOthersScoot operates 4 direct flights per week between Singapore and Manado (Sam Ratulangi International Airport), providing the key international air access route for Safari Tours' customers. Safari Tours references this route as a key access point for travelers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Emperor Divers: Owns the MY Emperor Raja Laut (one of Safari Tours' partner liveaboards) and operates Indonesian dive itineraries. Overlaps as both a partner supplier and direct competitor for liveaboard dive bookings in Raja Ampat and Komodo.
• Mermaid Liveaboards: Operates the Mermaid I and Mermaid II liveaboards across Komodo, Raja Ampat, Banda Sea, and Alor — directly competing with Safari Tours' partner liveaboard portfolio (Kelana, Arenui, MSY Dewi Nusantara) for the same premium diver segment.
• Wicked Diving: Bali-based dive travel specialist offering multi-destination Indonesia diving packages and liveaboard bookings. Directly comparable to Safari Tours' diving product mix and international traveler target market, though with a Bali rather than North Sulawesi home base.
• Two Fish Divers: Indonesia-focused dive resort and liveaboard operator with multiple locations across the archipelago (including Lembeh). Overlaps with Safari Tours on North Sulawesi dive packages and shares the same international diver customer segment.
• Dive The World Indonesia: International dive travel agency booking dive trips and liveaboards across Indonesia, including Bunaken and Lembeh. Competes with Safari Tours for outbound-destination dive bookings sourced from European and Australian markets.
• Blue Corner Dive: Long-established dive operator on Bunaken Island directly in Safari Tours' home waters. Competes for the same North Sulawesi dive resort bookings while also acting as a local supplier for Safari Tours' dive packages.
• Cocotinos Resort: Boutique dive resort in North Sulawesi/Bunaken offering combined dive-and-stay packages. Comparable to Safari Tours' resort-and-diving bundled product targeting international divers in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• TourRadar: Global online tour marketplace aggregating multi-day adventure and wildlife tours across 40+ countries, including Indonesia. Represents the platform-level competitive threat Safari Tours faces from online tour aggregators.
• Indonesia.travel: Official Ministry of Tourism destination platform promoting Indonesia internationally. Represents the macro discovery layer Safari Tours depends on for inbound demand and competes indirectly for customer attention via official channels.

Others

• North Sulawesi Tourism Organization: Regional destination marketing organization co-founded by Safari Tours' GM Jeremy Barnes. Ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor; shapes the destination visibility that drives inbound demand for Safari Tours and adjacent operators.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SafariToursTravelManado
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pt-usaha-wisata-safari

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Safari Tours & Travel Manado