Management in Agritourism Promotion as an Element of Support Agritourism Services by Local Authorities

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1 DOI /vjes Management in Agritourism Promotion as an Element of Support Agritourism Services by Local Authorities Anna BRZOZOWSKA Czestochowa University of Technology, Poland Arkadiusz NIEDZIÓŁKA, Poland University of Agriculture in Krakow Abstract The promotion of agritourism services is a very important factor of agritourism development. Owners of agritourism farms apply different promotional instruments. The main objective of the authors research is to identify the management methods of promotional activity in agritourism by local authorities in municipalities of the Myslenice County. The region belongs to one of the most touristic attractive parts of Malopolska Province in Poland. In order to achieve this ambitious objective, during the summer 2015 the surveys in all nine municipalities belonging to the Myslenice County: Dobczyce, Lubień, Myślenice, Pcim, Raciechowice, Siepraw, Sułkowice, Tokarnia oraz Wiśniowa were conducted. The researches related to the support of local governments in the development of agritourism services with regard to the promotion of agritourism. In the theoretical part of the paper the essence and forms of promotion used in agritourism services and other different types of its support by local authorities were presented based on the literature. Keywords: agritourism, management, promotion, local authorities JEL Classification: M3 Introduction Promotion management in agritourism is an important part of marketing management in this form of rural tourism. Agritourism service management within the context of promotional activities is a necessary process associated with running an agritourism farm. This object is managed by its owners, farmers but items management in agritourism promotion are moreover seen in the activities of different entities and institutions. In this group, it should be replaced the local authorities, which also using territorial marketing can manage the promotion of agritourism services and thereby support its development. In Malopolska Province agritourism is very well developed. Most agritourism farms function in counties: Nowy Targ and Tatra, also lot of in counties: Limanowa and Nowy Sacz. The most frequent tourists resting in the country at farmers are residents of 17

2 large cities. Persons living in Krakow and wanting to leave their city even for a weekend, choose the Myslenice County which is located at short distance from the capitol of Malopolska. Therefore, this region of the Malopolska Province was chosen under the purposes of this study and aspects of management in the promotion of agritourism used by local authorities in all municipalities of this county were presented. 1. Promotion in agritourism and its tools The promotion of agritourism is a system connected with communication with the market. Promotional activity aims to reach potential tourists, encouraging them to purchase any agritourism offer. The tasks in agritourism promotion include (Mikuta & Żelazna, 2004): - presentation of the benefits of buying agritourism product, - distinguishing the service offer against competitive offerings, - striving to create the brand of agritourism farm, - informing a maximum number of potential buyers of the start of operations. W. Kuźniar i M. Woźniak present two main tasks placed on the promotion of agritourism farms. The first is to present the benefits of staying in the countryside like communing with nature, or rest in peace, the second is to present to potential tourists qualities of individual farms (Kuźniar & Woźniak, 2001). In agritourism activity there are different forms of communication with the market Frequently promotion include: - advertising in the local and regional press, Internet and radio, as well as roadside signs, - publishing - catalogs, leaflets, folders, brochures and posters, - exhibitions and fairs, - public relations - conferences, symposiums, festivals, harvest festivals, fairs, - personal sales, - additional sale - loyalty card guaranteeing discounts, contests with prizes and gifts. The most important instrument used in the promotional activities of agritourism farms is undoubtedly advertisement. To its main goals J. Sikora includes (Sikora, 2012): - providing information about agritourism product, - giving the reasons for which the product is worth selling, - calling desire to purchase, - persuading to buy, - changing the attitudes of buyers against the producer or firm, Adverts can be posted on the websides of municipalities, counties, tourism regions, agritourism associations or agricultural advisory centers. The important thing is to have official website of agritourism farm by farmers. An advert can concern placing agritourism offers in different kinds of publications. A catalog is one of the most effective means of advertising agritourism services. It can be issued by local authorities or agritourism associations and can include offers even several dozen agritourism farms. An important form of communication with the market is a personal selling. It occurs even during a telephone conversation between the owner of an agritourism farm and a potential tourist. During the telephone contact he is able to get any answers to his questions about the rest of the farmer. 18

3 A kind of promotional activities in agritourism can be so-called. sales promotion. or further promotion. Both terms are synonymous and interchangeably exist in the literature. This form of communication with the market is to quickly increase sales of seats in agritourism farms by increasing the attractiveness of products, services or raising its quality. Agritourism fairs are another instrument for the promotion of agritourism. It s a kind of promotional activities related to both personal selling and simultaneously being a form of public relations. Participation in fairs in an effective, but also expensive form of promotion, because it requires the preparation of information materials, souvenirs for visitors, preparing transport. In agritourism, the main goal of next promotional tool called public relations is to promote current and comprehensible information about activities of agritourism farms. It allows to establish and maintain contacts with representatives of local authorities, various social organizations and tourism associations (Knecht, 2009). 2. The role of local authorities in the promotion of agritourism services Local governments can be the entity of supporting the development of local tourism economy, including agritourism thanks to various local instruments. It allows, first of all to do such things as (Kiryluk, 2003): - development and implementation of long-term programs of tourism development (strategy), including agritourism, - development directions and principles of tourism infrastructure in a municipality, - implementation of infrastructure investments, - development of a system of information and promotion of tourism, - development advisory and supporting training of tourism and recreation. Mainly in rural communes, party in semi-urban communes, a very popular form of rural tourism is agritourism. It refers to leisure visitors within active farms. Its development is mainly determined by the values of natural environment, surroundings forests, lakes, rivers or mountains. Therefore M. Jalinik rightly observes, that activities connected with agritourism development, as an element of sustainable development of rural areas should seek to minimize its harmful impact on the environment and protect the value of rural areas (Jalinik, 2002).. Promotion management in agritourism can be firmy linked with the elements of strategic management. This is due to the fact that local authorities often focus on current and futere agritourism services development in the region. Strategic management of tourism development in a municipality, including agritorusim, is the future-oriented process of planning and the choice of objectives for tourism development and implementation tasks, implementation of the adopted provisions, and also the monitoring the implementation of adopted laws (Michałowski & Ziółkowski, 2002). A. P. Wiatrak believes, that the effectiveness of the strategy depends on the method of its preparation, in which information plays an important role (Wiatrak, 2005). In building agritourism strategy in a municipality you cannot forget about touristic potential in the region. You have to keep in mind, in addition to natural wealth, also present on the territory of the municipality monuments of architecture, folklore and cultural and historical heritage (Kowalska, 2012) 19

4 3. Agritourism services development in the Myslenice County Agritourism is one of the numerous forms of tourism practiced in the Myślenice County. It is exclusively connected with tourists accommodation at farmers having agritourism farms. Based on surveys (a detailed analysis of its results is in the empirical part of this study) conducted in all municipalities of the Myslenice Conty in 2015 it shows, that 44 agritourism farms functioned then. Only 2 of them (4%) were associated in agritourism farms. The largest number of farmers involved in agritourism was in the municipality of Lubien (table 1). Table 1. Number of agritourism farms in the Myslenice County in 2015 Number of Including farms belonging agritourism farms to agritourism associations Dobczyce 1 - Lubień 10 - Myślenice 5 2 Pcim 3 - Raciechowice 3 - Siepraw 2 - Sułkowice - - Tokarnia 5 - Wiśniowa 15 - All in all: 44 2 Looking at table number 1 it is clear, that membership of agritourism farms in the Myslenice County in agritourism associations is very negligible. It may be due eg. with no need for membership in such organizations or from the lack of conviction to the profitability of such a venture. 4. Results of surveys Research in the form of direct interview were conducted using a questionnaire in all the municipalities of the Myslenice County. The survey contained of both closed and open questions. The respondents were employees of municipal offices responsible for its municipality development, including the development of local tourism and recreational services. Only one municipality Siepraw does not have a development strategy, other municipalities such strategic documents have. All strategies include an assessment of opportunities and risks for tourism development, and only one of them, the municipality of Dobczyce in the mission and strategic vision do not take into account the development of agritourism. Even in the strategy of the municipality of Sulkowice, where there are no one agritourism farm, the development of agritourism services in the future is recognized. 20

5 On the question included in the questionnaire about the size of the impact of local government on the development of agritourism in the region, only in the municipality of Wisniowa the answer was very big. In this municipality it operates the most agritourims farms, mainly 15, taking into account all the municipalities in the Myslenice County. In municipalities: Lubien, Myslenice, Pcim, Raciechowice and Sulkowice the respondents pointed to a fairly limited impact of local government on the development of agritourism services. In municipalities: Siepraw and Tokarnia the respondents pointed to the lack of major impact in the process. Only in the municipality of Dobczyce where the only strategy is not included in the mission and strategic vision of agritourism, the respondent stated, that local authorities do not have any influence on the development of agritourism services. Different answers concerned the role of municipal government in the development of agritourism services were received. Most of them were connected with promotion. It turned out, that the management of promotional activity in agritourism development, properly conducted by local authorities is the most important element of its support by the municipality. However, such answers were not achieved in municipalities: Dobczyce, Siepraw and Tokarnia (table 2). Table 2. Forms of agritourism support by local authorities in the municipalities belonging to the Myslenice County Form of support Lubien Common promotion Myslenice Issuing leaflets and folders containing the list of agritourism farms Pcim Common promotion, providing trainings Raciechowice Organization of competitions, promotional events, trainings, meetings Sulkowice Investments in tourism recreation lagoon in Sulkowice, the construction of the ski slope in Harbutowice Wisniowa Exhibitions, competitions, training, participation in fairs In the next question, the respondents answered about the impact of agritourism services for the socio-economic development of their municipality. Again in municipalities: Dobczyce and Siepraw, as well as to this question in the municipality Sulkowice there were no response. In the municipality of Tokarnia the respondent pointed to the small role of agritourism in local development (table 3). Table 3. The impact of agritourism in the socio-economic development of examined municipalities in the respondents' opinion The impact of agritourism in the socio-economic development of municipality Lubien Incomes of local society, seasonal employment Myslenice Selling agricultural products for vacationers The impact of agritourism in the socio-economic development of municipality 21

6 Pcim Raciechowice Wisniowa The impact of agritourism in the socio-economic development of municipality Alternative sources of income for farmers, attracting tourists to municipality Seasonal reducing unemployment, increasing income among local entrepreneurs Improving the retail and service industry, improve the tourist attractiveness of municipalities, renewal pathways, to promote the municipality, increasing the number of summer houses The more agritourism farms in the municipality and if they have a relatively high occupancy tourists, even in the summer, although theoretically the impact of agritourism services for the socio-economic transformations of the municipality should be high. In order to set up an agritourism farm a farmer should be trained on conducting such activities. Therefore, the next question included in the survey relates to the organization of such projects in the municipality in the last five years. It turned out, that agritourism training took place only in three municipalities: Pcim, Raciechowice and Tokarnia. Organizing courses in the field of agritourism farm management can contribute to increase the number of farmers who will accept tourists in their homes. Local authorities can take care of organizing or co-organizing agritourism trainings. It is important to continue promotional activities of agritourism, not only promoting it on the official web portals of municipalities, but also through various publications, eg. catalogs, guides and maps. Next question related to what should be done to enhance the development of agritourism in the municipality.in the future. The answers are presented in table 4. Table 4. The proposed activities in the future that could strengthen the development of agritourism in the municipality according to respondents Project Expansion of tourism infrastruture (hiking and bike trails), bike Dobczyce rental, access to the Dobczyce lake for recreational purposes Development and construction of recreational areas, including bike paths, sandy beach, providing places for entrepreneurs, Lubien service companies, the creation of leisure products and catering, accommodation facilities, redevelopment of the ski station Myslenice Promoting agritourism on the radio and on TV Increasing the social activity of citizens, increasing the number of Pcim tourist farms Raciechowice Financial aid, tax breaks Siepraw Sulkowice Since childhood inculcate love for the village, expose tradition Organize a meeting with potential tourists to provide them with legal assistance, to inform about the benefits of agritourism 22

7 Tokarnia Wisniowa Project Building of tourism infrastructure Increase the amount of advertising in the media, improve infrastructure, start swimming and ski lift, flood management Analyzing the table number 4 it is clear, that in the strategic plans for the development of agritourism, the respondents the most often pointed to it promotion and construction of the wider tourism infrastructure. In the management of promotional activities, the representatives of local authorities recognized the need to promote agritourism services in the media. Management aspects are also reflected in the development of various elements of tourism infrastructure. Another question included in the questionnaire concerned the municipality s attempts of getting financial support from external sources for the development of widely understood tourism, for example tourism infrastructure in the last five years. It turned out, that all of the tested municipalities sought for such assistance and received it (table 5). Table 5. The use of funds raised by the surveyed municipalities for the development of tourism in the last five years Proposed activities Dobczyce Development plan of the surroundings of the Dobczyce reservoir Lubień Construction of playgrounds Myślenice Construction of the sport hall Pcim Construction of sports field, the expansion of tourist and sportsrecreation Raciechowice The creation of recreational sites Siepraw Construction of tennis courts, beach volleyball, track Sułkowice Construction of the lagoon recreational Sułkowice Tokarnia Wiśniowa Information boards, benches Construction of tourist stops, the creation of tourist trails Sources from which the support for construction or development any elements of tourism infrastructure came mostly from the Malopolska Regional Operational Programme for and from the Rural Development Programme for the same period. Conclusions Agritourism in the Myslenice County belongs to the popular forms of spending leisure time. Its development is determined mostly by natural values, beautiful landscape, but also by suitable marketing activity leading by owners of agritourism farms and municipal governments. Local authorities manage the promotion of agritourism by promotion its services through the use of various marketing tools. They advertise agritourism offers on its web portals, publish different catalogs which promote agritourism, and organize trips to agritourism fairs. 23

8 On the base of the surveys it can be stated, that landscape values and terrain existing here, have a large impact on tourism, agritourism and recreation development. The Myslenice County is located in foothill climate and thus it is the perfect place to relax. In this area agritourism is rapidly growing, too, which have a significant impact on the socioeconomic development of the entire county. Conclusions based on surveys: - local authorities support agritourism mainly in promotional activity, - the most important promotional tools used by local governments include Internet advertising and different publishing, - agritourism support by local authorities is seen in various infrastructural investments, too, - an important role in projects and investments in widely understood tourism, mainly in tourism infrastructure played external funds from the European Union, - membership of more agritourism farms in agritourism associations could increase the scale of promotion and reduce the cost of individual providers in the promotion of agritourism, - strategic decisions of local authorities regarding agritourism are more concern with the development of tourism infrastruture than with promotional activities, - agritourism trainings can contribute to the development of agritourism in the future. References Jalinik M. (2002) Agroturystyka na obszarach przyrodniczo cennych, Wydawnictwo Politechniki Białostockiej, Białystok, p. 97. Kiryluk H. (2003) Rola i zadania samorządów terytorialnych w rozwoju gospodarki turystycznej [w:] Jalinik M. (red.) Ekonomiczno organizacyjne warunki rozwoju turystyki i rekreacji, Wydawnictwo Politechniki Białostockiej, Białystok, p. 39. Knecht D. (2009) Agroturystyka w agrobiznesie, Wydawnictwo C. H. Beck, Warszawa, p Kowalska M. (2012) Dziedzictwo kulturowe jako element rozwoju społecznogospodarczego Podhala [w:] Szczepanik Z. (red.) Episteme. Czasopismo naukowo-kulturalne. Nr 16/2012. om II, Stowarzyszenie Twórców Nauki i Kultury Episteme, Kraków, p Kuźniar W., Woźniak M. (2001) Promocja działalności agroturystycznej jako czynnik ożywienia gospodarczego terenów wiejskich (Na przykładzie gmin bieszczadzkich) [w:] Klepacki B. (red.) Turystyka wiejska czynnikiem ożywienia terenów wiejskich, Krajowe Centrum Doradztwa Rozwoju Rolnictwa i Obszarów Wiejskich Oddział w Krakowie, Kraków, p Michałowski K., Ziółkowski R. (2002) Zarządzanie turystyką, Wydawnictwo Politechniki Białostockiej, Białystok, p Mikuta B., Żelazna K. (2004) Organizacja ruchu turystycznego na wsi, Wydawnictwo Format-AB, Warszawa, p Sikora J. (2012) Agroturystyka. Przedsiębiorczość na obszarach wiejskich. Wydawnictwo C. H. Beck, Warszawa, p Wiatrak A. P. (2005) Turystyka wiejska w strategiach rozwoju regionalnego i lokalnego [w:] Kmita-Dziasek E., Kryński Z. (red.) Turystyka wiejska a rozwój i współpraca regionów, Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa w Krośnie, Krosno, p