Module 2-Subject 4 01 | Page 2

Overview Agro-ecotourism is relatively new to the Caribbean. For new operators, the hardest part of the venture will be to attract enough customers to make the business profitable. “Create the attraction and they will come” will not work in the competitive tourism industry, especially in remote rural locations where few people ordinarily would visit. Marketing is essential to the success of agro-ecotourism enterprises because it helps operators to define and position the business. It forces them to think about their competition and how to distinguish their product from others. It helps with pricing and compels entrepreneurs to develop an image or identity that guides their operations. The process of attracting customers can be complicated, expensive, time consuming, and frustrating. But every start up business needs a marketing plan. This module provides practical tools that will help you to create a marketing plan for your agro-ecotourism enterprise. By the end of this unit you should be able to:    Define marketing Explain the importance of an effective marketing strategy Create a marketing plan for your business Photo by Alexandra Rosales To achieve this, in this module we will review the marketing basics and strategies that will help you create a marketing plan for your specific agro-ecotouristic business. 1 Module 2. Subject 4: Marketing the Agro-Ecotourism Business