Digital tourism marketing and its impact on rural tourism in Nepal

Abstract

There lies a significant potential in the tourism sector of Nepal, given its diverse mountains and natural beauties, an untouched, unexplored area, as well as cultural attributes. Traditionally relevant approaches of marketing are now no more relevant than those of the old days, as the time and context are changing with the increasing shift of the global phenomenon into a more technological and digital world. And businesses such as tourism can greatly benefit by integrating it into their marketing ideas, especially when it comes to the promotion of tourism, where the destinations more often have a high flow of visitors.

In this context, this research has explored the potential of strategies using the digital medium that promote the destination of the rural areas of Nepal. This destination has huge tourism potential yet faces some technical constraints. The study has also reflected some of the success stories and learnings made from the Bandipur village, a popular tourism destination that has now grown its hype over the last decade with the increased digital promotions and events that it has organized.

The research also provides some recommendations on how digital marketing could be an ideal way to promote their business and what could be done to make the information about such destinations digitally available for the people who would like to explore these areas. Similarly, it also talks about the increase in the flow of visitors with the increasing generation of revenues in those areas as well as promoting the destination digitally. The digital marketing can bring a big transformation into the life of local people who are living in the rural part of tourist destination.