Data-Powered Social Media Marketing and Agritourism: A Catalyst for Rebranding African Tourism

Africa boasts a breathtaking tapestry of landscapes, diverse cultures, and rich agricultural traditions. However, traditional tourism narratives often portray the continent through a limited lens, neglecting the vast potential of agritourism. This chapter explores how data-powered social media marketing can act as a catalyst for rebranding African tourism. This research aims to highlight the unique experiences offered by agritourism and promoting sustainable development within rural communities, scrutinize the current perception of African tourism, examine the role of data-powered social media marketing, and gauge the potential impact of rebranding African tourism through data-driven social media marketing. A mixed-methods approach was employed. Quantitative data was collected through an online survey distributed to international tourists. For triangulation purposes, qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews was conducted with agritourism business owners, social media marketing experts, and tourism industry representatives in Africa. Research findings revealed that there is limited perception and untapped potential on the current image of African tourism. However, it was noted that social media platforms provide a data-driven marketing power and rebranding potential, allowing agritourism businesses to reach specific tourist segments offering diverse, culturally rich, and environmentally conscious travel experiences. Challenges noted include limited digital literacy, data accessibility and analysis and content creation. Based on the research findings, it was recommended to develop policies to bridge the digital divide in rural areas by providing access to affordable internet connectivity, encourage collaboration between agritourism businesses, social media marketing agencies, and technology providers to develop affordable and accessible data analytics tools and content creation resources tailored to the needs of the sector and develop user-friendly and cost-effective mobile applications and social media management tools specifically designed for agritourism businesses in Africa. Harnessing the power of data-powered social media marketing, agritourism can become a key driver for rebranding African tourism which fosters economic growth, strengthens cultural preservation, and encourages responsible environmental practices, contributing to a more sustainable tourism sector across Africa.