The role of local perceptions in the marketing of rural areas
This paper explores the ways that two rural counties are marketed, both as locations for enterprise and
for tourist appeal. Secondary data sources and expert interviews provide the basis for a comparison of
approaches in each case. To analyse marketing communication from the Cornish and Northumbrian
tourism and regional development agencies, the Interaction Model of Communication and principles
underpinning integrated marketing communications (IMC) are used.
The research evaluates the fit of the marketing rhetoric against the perceptions and lived
experiences of samples of business owners drawn from each county. A particular focus is apportioned
to in-migrant business owners as they have had perceptions of their destination both before and after
moving. It is discovered that social factors are highly significant, meaning that place marketers must
engage with local communities as well as their external target audiences.
This deeper understanding of the ways in which perceptions of place identity and reputation
influence decision-making and communication offerings by local marketers, is a valuable insight for the
way marketing is undertaken in, and of, rural areas. Beyond marketing, the findings demonstrate