Digital Marketing Impact on Rural Destinations Promotion : A conceptual model proposal

The need to implement a new development dynamic in rural regions has been one of the concerns of the rural tourism sector, which is currently starting its digital transformation process and the adoption of digital technologies and tools. In the light of literature, one of the tools with the greatest promotion potential is digital marketing, since it allows reaching new and larger target audiences more efficiently and effectively. Realizing the lack of a conceptual and functional vision capable of guiding the planning and execution of digital marketing initiatives in the context of rural tourism, this article proposes a conceptual model focused on characterizing the potential impact that digital marketing initiatives can generate, namely in terms of the development of a positive image of the rural tourism destination and of the influence on the tourists’ decision to visit.