BUILDING CHILD-FRIENDLY EDUCATIONAL TOURISM: MARKETING STRATEGIES AND THE ROLE OF ANIMAL INTERACTION IN PLURAL TOURISM

Abstract

Child-friendly educational tourism has emerged as an innovative sector within the tourism industry, offering unique experiences through direct interaction between children and animals, such as feeding cows or goats. This study aims to analyze effective marketing strategies for child-friendly educational tourism, emphasizing the importance of the plural tourism concept and the educational benefits of animal interaction. A systematic literature review was conducted using keywords including "Marketing Strategy," "Tourism," "Plural Tourism," and "Animal Interaction." Ten selected journals form the foundation of this analysis, including studies by Jęczmyk et al. (2021) highlighting the role of animals in agritourism, and Wen (2023) discussing animal-assisted interventions in tourism. Findings indicate that storytelling (Nguyen, Park, & Lee, 2020) and digital marketing (Park & Lee, 2021) are effective strategies to engage families. Interaction with animals enhances practical learning and emotional intelligence in children (Smith, Brown, & Wilson, 2019; Johnson, Martinez, & Lee, 2022). Furthermore, applying plural tourism principles supports inclusivity and sustainability in educational tourism (Chan, Smith, & Thompson, 2021). This research provides valuable insights for tourism practitioners to develop child-friendly tourism programs that promote educational and emotional development. Future research should explore the long-term impact of animal interaction across diverse cultural backgrounds (García & Pérez, 2022; Lee & Kim, 2018).