Marketing strategies for the agritourism products in Manabí, Ecuador province

Abstract

The present work aimed to design marketing strategies for the positioning of agritourism products in the Manabí province (Ecuador). In the applied methodology, this paper considered the tourist diagnosis as the first phase to identify the productive activities associated with agritourism, linked to the production of the land, livestock, trade, and manufacturing, based on primary products, fruits, shrimp, farming, and tourism. In the second phase, this paper stablished the market study, through a market segmentation it was identified a family tourism niche that during the holidays mobilized to the separate places of interest, which they informed and share experiences through social networks. Four tourism products with great potential were detected, such as: the grandfather route, the enchantment route, the senses route, and the fine aroma cacao circuit, located in Manabí central-western area. In the last phase, a marketing plan was developed which was supported by the interview technique to design four strategies aimed at the positioning of products, price as a determinant of attractiveness, competitiveness and profitability referred to price-quality, to the market, through agreements and strategic alliances to establish distribution channels and the promotion of the products brand. Based on the strategies, this research proposed four programs that include sixteen projects framed in the marketing mix, to strengthen, innovate, and position the Manabí agrotourism products.