4.1 Marketing Basics
Marketing involves planning and executing a set of objectives to bring buyers and sellers
together so that a sale can take place.
In the case of agro-ecotourism, marketing has four main goals:
1. Identify a target audience, their needs
and expectations
2. Lure the target audience to the
attraction
3. Meet the needs of the target audience
and entice them to spend money at
the attraction
4. Create a desire in the audience to
return again and again to the attraction
Photo by Allan Valverde
Another important concept in marketing is that of consumer values. When making
purchase decisions, consumers generally consider four factors: Customer Benefit,
Customer Cost, Convenience and Communication.
Agro-ecotourism entrepreneurs need to consider what the visitor will
get out of their product or service experience, at what price, and how
convenient it will be for the tourist to access the activities.
In addition, another consideration is how the customers will learn
about products, services and how to acquire them. These factors are
critical when developing quality products and services and for
creating a marketing plan.
4.2 The Marketing Plan
Successful marketing is achieved by developing and implementing a thorough marketing
plan.
The components of a full marketing plan are illustrated below.
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Module 2. Subject 4: Marketing the Agro-Ecotourism Business