Event marketing as an appropriately integrated marketing communication for promoting tourism of Ko Lad E-Tan, Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand

Abstract

The aim of this research was to create a model of integrated marketing communication for supporting community tourism in Ko Lad E-Tan, Nakhon Pathom Province. Grounded theory was used to collect the data from two sample groups. The first group consisted of stakeholders and locals. The second sample group was tourists. It was found that a wide variety of integrated marketing communication types were not run by government offces. All marketing and communication plans were based on previous plans which were thought to be ineffective. This research found that the local population in the sample group were interested in the use of integrated marketing communications. This study explains the potential of the local population for carrying out integrated marketing communications. These resources consisted of local human resources, local stories, communication channels and tourists. Moreover, this research has shown that event marketing is an appropriate model of integrated marketing communication which can be used effectively to support community based tourism. This is because it can respond the needs of the local population and it can solve tourism problems in this area. At the same time, the model can be used to communicate directly with tourists. This model can be used to boost the image of tourism and create loyal, revisiting, tourists. Finally, the research identified key factors for the success of community-based integrated marketing communication management in long term. It found that communications should be based on the local uniqueness as well as responding to needs and potentials of the local population. Importantly, it should also be focused on local budget, local human resources and should respond to tourists’ needs.