The relationship between tourist enterprises and visitors in the Caminhos da Fronteira region

Abstract

This paper constitutes action research on tourism in a rural environment. The objective was to inventory the means of dissemination and marketing used by tourist enterprises and to promote actions that make them better known to the local population and visitors. To this end, 28 interviews were conducted with managers of enterprises in rural environments in the Caminhos da Fronteira Tourist Region. The results show a strong presence of digital communication tools, but a low presence of paid mechanisms. In addition to the individual strategies of private actors on social networks, collective dissemination actions promoted by public actors (technical assistance and rural extension agents, city halls, associations of municipalities, etc.) and associative actors (tourism, cooperative, and itinerary associations) can be observed. The extension action of this project consisted of supporting the creation of a website for the Association of Municipalities of the Far West of Santa Catarina (Ameosc) to gather information and provide greater visibility to the sector. This virtual environment was set up with data collected in interviews and in a specific questionnaire, in which part of the managers responded. The experience of this action allows us to conclude that the website serves a specific function and must be complemented with other forms of dissemination and a staff structure that helps mediate the relationship between users and enterprises, making the response to applicants quicker.