Profitability Analysis of Travel Car Services on the Makassar–Selayar Route: A Comparative Perspective on Holiday Peak Season and Normal Mobility Conditions

Abstrak

This study analyzes and describes the profitability of travel car businesses operating on the Makassar–Selayar route by comparing performance during the holiday peak season and during normal mobility conditions. Profitability was measured using three ratios: Gross Profit Margin (GPM), Operating Profit Margin (OPM), and Net Profit Margin (NPM). The population comprised the operational and revenue records of all travel businesses serving the Makassar–Selayar route that had operated continuously for at least one year, while the sample consisted of the 2024 operational and revenue records of five travel businesses selected through purposive sampling: Mikha Trans, Andara Travel, New Mahkota Travel, Myesha Travel, and AR Travel. Data were collected through documentation of monthly income and operational records and analyzed using a descriptive quantitative approach. The results show that profitability fluctuated sharply between the two mobility conditions. During the holiday peak season (April, June, July, and December), all five businesses recorded a sharp increase in revenue, placing their GPM, OPM, and NPM in the “good” category as a result of near-maximum vehicle load efficiency. Conversely, during normal mobility conditions (August–November), profitability declined considerably because passenger volume fell while fixed operating costs continued to be incurred. Peak-season earnings were found to contribute more than 60 percent of total annual net profit across the five businesses. The study concludes that the financial sustainability of travel car businesses on the Makassar–Selayar route depends heavily on accumulating profit during peak periods to offset losses during low-demand months, underscoring the need for more flexible cost-management and scheduling strategies.