Community-Based Tourism Marketing Practices: A Case Study on Otithi

Abstract

This report centers on my academic internship experience, exploring the marketing practices and strategies at Otithi, a community-based tourism (CBT) initiative of BRAC. Otithi promotes sustainable, meaningful travel experiences across Bangladesh. CBT emphasizes the active involvement of local people and preserves their stories, culture, and heritage. Otithi's main target is to empower those local communities through community-based tourism. The objectives of this report are to understand Otithi's marketing practices, analyse its strategies, and examine community-based tourism, identifying the key challenges and strengths of the industry. This report uses a descriptive research methodology, focusing primarily on secondary data from Otithi's website and social media. The main findings of the report are that Otithi combines storytelling, influencer marketing, digital marketing, and event participation to build a strong, meaningful, and responsible tourism brand in Bangladesh. The report recommends that Otithi invest more in awareness-building campaigns and event activations. So, people could learn more about Otithi and its goals and objectives. Otithi has successfully established a solid base in CBT marketing, raising customer awareness, expanding its destinations, and developing a stronger digital and traditional presence that could further enhance it, positioning it to play a leading role in reshaping the country's tourism landscape.