Use and Perception of the Internet as a Marketing Tool to Promote Rural Tourism

Paulo Duarte and Ana Rita Pais
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Ana Rita Pais: Universidade da Beira Interior

Working Papers de Gestão, Economia e Marketing (Management, Economics and Marketing Working Papers) from Universidade da Beira Interior, Departamento de Gestão e Economia (Portugal)

Abstract: Businesses and communities in rural areas face increased challenges to compete in the globalized tourism market. Rural areas and small communities often have rich endogenous natural resources, which may appeal to a stressed urban public, however, simply possessing these attributes is not sufficient, the must be communicated and promoted to the right people. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of Internet and online marketing tools to improve the competitiveness of small-scale rural tourism companies. The paper presents an overview of the perception, knowledge and use of Internet as a marketing toll by small-scaled rural tourism companies located in Portugal centre region and discusses the challenges and motivations involved in promoting rural tourism in a globalized market. A sample of small-scaled rural tourism companies was inquired about their attitudes toward the use of Internet marketing tools. The results show that Rural Tourism companies have limited knowledge of web marketing tools potential to support the rural tourism and highlight the need to increase the use of Internet as a marketing tool to globally communicate, promote and positioning rural tourism in order to leverage resources and create sustainability.

Keywords: Rural tourism; SMEs; Internet; Marketing; e-Commerce (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 19 pages
Date: 2010
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-cse, nep-ict, nep-mkt and nep-tur
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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