Towards a Sustainable Future of Marketing Management Praxis in Rural Destination Spaces

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore and apply sustainable destination branding strategies and the roles of the relationship-building approach in understanding the future of marketing management praxis in rural tourism destinations. A review of the literature on tourism marketing, destination management, rural tourism, green marketing, sustainable tourism management, brand and destination branding shows that the application of sustainable destination branding using the relationship-based approach underpinned by relationship-based theories is lacking in the literature sources, especially in rural tourism destination marketing. Therefore, an understanding of sustainable destination branding and a relationship-based approach becomes indispensable for the sustainable future of marketing management in rural tourism destinations to achieve the goals of attracting quality tourist arrivals and becoming the destination of choice. Data analysis is based on 46 in-depth interviews and participant observations conducted over a period of four years in Bario, Sarawak, Malaysia.