ENHANCING RURAL TOURISM THROUGH DIGITAL MARKETING: ANALYZING TOURIST BEHAVIOR IN TEMBI TOURISM VILLAGE

Abstract Tourism plays a significant role in Indonesia’s economy, with village-based tourism emerging as an alternative that promotes local culture and economic empowerment. One such destination is Tembi Tourism Village in Yogyakarta, which offers authentic Javanese cultural experiences. However, despite its potential, rural tourism faces challenges in adopting digital marketing effectively. This study examines the impact of digital marketing strategies on tourist engagement and visit intentions, with perceived challenges as a moderating factor. A quantitative approach was used, collecting data from 245 respondents who had engaged with Tembi’s digital content. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0. Results show that digital marketing positively influences tourist engagement, which in turn significantly affects visit intention. Additionally, digital marketing has a direct effect on visit intention. However, perceived challenges negatively moderate this relationship, indicating that barriers such as financial constraints and limited digital literacy weaken the impact of digital marketing on attracting visitors. The study highlights the importance of optimized digital marketing strategies in enhancing rural tourism’s online presence and engagement. Practical recommendations include improving digital content quality, enhancing infrastructure, and increasing community training in digital marketing to maximize the tourism potential of Tembi Tourism Village.