Integrated Marketing Communication of Local Government Sidoarjo in Developing Marine Ecotourism

Abstract

Sidoarjo is known as "City Shrimp", it is a marine ecotourism area which has a various potential outcomes of freshwater fish, that deserves to be visited by the tourists both inside and outside the country. This research aims to discuss the integrated marketing communication of local government Sidoarjo in marine ecotourism. The research method was quantitative descriptive research with respondents were the society and government apparatus who lived around the area (Sedati, Candi, and Jabon), LSM / NGO, the head of the field / head of sub-field work unit area that associated with ecotourism development in Sidoarjo. The data was obtained through questionnaires and completed by interview, and analyzed using multiple regression. The results showed that the government of Sidoarjo has followed a strategy of Integrated Marketing Communication which include personal selling, public relations, advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion and interactive marketing. Overall, IMC variables affect the development of marine ecotourism in Sidoarjo. Partially, the most influential factors for the development of marine ecotourism include public relations, direct marketing, personal selling and sales marketing.

Keywords: Government; Integrated Marketing Communication; Marine Ecotourism