Marketing horti-tourism and rural development for leveraging tourism agenda 2030: a perspective article

Purpose: This paper aims to draw the attention of the academic scholars to how marketing of horti-tourism can take action to contribute to tourism agenda 2030. Design/methodology/approach: Reviewing literature on tourism, this paper builds a case for marketing horti-tourism based on the research gaps in literature, and future research directions are proposed to aid in the achievement of tourism agenda 2030. Findings: Scholarly research on horti-tourism remains scarce, and more research attention is suggested on this subject matter. The tourism sector produced varied forms of tourism where horti-tourism is associated with horticulture farms, vegetable gardens and flower gardens which provide direct gains such as employment creation, foreign currency earnings, income generation source, poverty reduction and other gainful commercial activities. Despite the importance attached to this form of tourism in literature, less research has been conducted to market its relevance to nations and businesses. Much academic studies are needed to project this form of tourism. Originality/value: This perspective paper serves as a call for tourism firms, governments and other stakeholders within and outside to make theoretical and practical contributions by marketing horti-tourism destinations to visitors which aid in the UN Tourism Agenda of 2030.