From 4 to 6 July 2024, Kawan Elite supported the delivery of the FRIM Digital Marketing Training programme for community-based ecotourism at Residence Inn Cherating, Pahang. The three-day programme was designed to strengthen the digital marketing capabilities of local communities involved in community-based ecotourism.
The programme focused on helping participants build practical skills in social media management, content creation, planning, audience engagement and performance measurement so that they could promote local ecotourism products and services more effectively online.
Empowering Community-Based Ecotourism Through Digital Skills
Digital platforms have become increasingly important in how travellers discover information, destinations and tourism services. The programme was therefore developed to help local communities strengthen their ability to use social media as a practical channel for promoting community-based ecotourism.
The training introduced participants to the role of digitalisation in sustainable tourism and highlighted how stronger digital capabilities can support the promotion of local tourism products and services while contributing to wider economic, social and environmental benefits for communities.
Participants were guided through the fundamentals of managing social media platforms and developing content for channels including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Google My Business.
Three Days of Practical Social Media Training
The three-day programme was structured as a progressive learning journey covering different aspects of digital marketing and social media management.
The first day introduced participants to digital tourism, sustainable communities and the importance and impact of social media on ecotourism. The second day moved into more practical areas such as social media profile management, content creation, content scheduling, analytics, metrics and audience engagement. The final day focused on access roles, team collaboration, participant feedback and the programme’s closing session.
This structure allowed participants to move from understanding the role of digital marketing to applying practical techniques that could support their own community tourism activities.
Hands-On Learning for Local Communities
The programme was designed for approximately 30 beginner-level participants aged between 20 and 56 from rural communities, many of whom had limited prior experience in social media management.
Participating organisations included community groups and cooperatives from Gunung Tebu, Dabong, Kuala Sat/Lembah Tembeling and Janda Baik.
Training combined theoretical learning with practical activities so that participants could apply what they learned directly. The programme materials describe sessions as combining theory with hands-on practice, helping participants gain both conceptual understanding and practical experience.
Participants were also introduced to practical tools such as Canva for content creation, supporting their ability to develop social media materials independently after completing the programme.
Building Sustainable Digital Visibility for Ecotourism
By the end of the programme, participants were expected to have a stronger understanding of social media management and practical experience in creating and managing content to promote ecotourism within their respective communities.
The programme also established measurable six-month engagement goals, including increasing cumulative follower numbers by 500 followers or achieving up to 100,000 cumulative views following the training.
Through practical digital marketing knowledge and stronger social media capabilities, the programme aimed to help participating communities improve how they communicate their ecotourism offerings, engage audiences and build greater visibility online.
For Kawan Elite, the programme represented an opportunity to contribute digital marketing knowledge and practical training that could support communities in making more effective use of online platforms to promote local ecotourism.
