[ Goldfish School - Digital Art by BRM ]

ECOTOURISM MARKETING

The best form of advertising is 'Word of Mouth'. Happy guests will be your best marketing tool as they tell other people of their wonderful experience at your facilities and with your tour guides. So how do you make the most of that form of advertising? Send them home with copies of some of the advertising goodies below and with some gifts. Here are some gift ideas:

• soap in the shape of something memorable to your place
• handcrafted item
• T-shirt or other clothing articles with images of the lodge or area
• calendars, posters, or other type wall hanging with the name of the lodge & local images

Publications.

You need to have you business mentioned in as many places as possible. Some media exposure will be paid for and some will be free publicity. Anything written up as articles in magazines or newspapers are the 'free publicity' and you can make copies of those to use in your paid for advertisements. Placement of ads in related trade publications can be kept inexpensive by using the ad to direct people to your web site or to have them request a brochure for more complete information. Be sure to get yourself listed with all governmental tourist publications and join any regional/national and international associations for ecotourism.

Internet

The web is by far the best method of informing the prospective guest of what you have to offer. An effective web site can be relatively simple and inexpensive - covering the basic offerings and costs, with lots of photos. Many web browsers have translators so the guest can review your site in any language. For those who want more detailed information on everything there is to do or see at your establishment or on your tour they can request a CD to be mailed to them. The CD can have total coverage of everything you have to offer and a virtual tour of your facilities and the areas to be visited on tour. The images can be of the highest quality/size and the CD can also contain video clips and local music. With an interactive menu they can navigate the CD as they would a big fat web site.

'BLUE AMAZON' can produce your website, the brochures, magazine ads, T-shirts, posters, CD's, and MORE! Make us your one-stop shop for promotion and marketing.