Marketing for rural tourism strategy and realisation in Bulgaria
Neviana Krasteva
, Desislava Alexova
Abstract: With the hope of rapid development of rural tourism in Bulgaria, how to innovate and optimize the marketing mode and successfully achieve marketing purposes is an urgent problem for the marketing of rural tourism destinations. Based on the analysis of destinations in Bulgaria like Botevgrad, Chiprovtsi, Radomir, etc., this paper has proposed suggestions on designing tourist products in the provinces of Bulgaria. The ambition is to encourage rural areas to make full use of local superior resources, including traditional folk culture, old churches and pastoral views to build traditional leisure agricultural projects, protect the precious historic and cultural heritage and promote the prosperity of local rural economy. The research is based on field research of the specific places with the cooperation of local authorities and different organizations. The paper begins with a literature review concerning the role of tourism in sustainable destination development, considering the specificities of rural tourism, and the contribution of this tourism to sustainable development of rural areas. The literature review is followed by a case study for 3 regions in Bulgaria. Via qualitative and quantitative approach, the case study identifies the views of diverse stake holders (visitors, public, private agents of supply, residents and consultants). The methodology and observations under the analysis are presented and open for discussion. The paper ends with some prescriptions and offers for marketing strategy creation. In conclusion there are some suggestions on how to make the rural area sustainable through marketing strategies on rural tourism.
Keywords: marketing strategies; rural tourism; sustainable development
Citation: Krasteva, N. & Alexova, D. (2024). Marketing for rural tourism – strategy and realisation in Bulgaria. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 30(2), 193–202
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| Date published: 2024-04-26
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