A website recommendation for identification and solution of digital marketing problems of tourist guides

The main purpose of the research is to determine the digital marketing problems of tourist guides and the guides' expectations from a digital promotion platform. The secondary aim of the research is to reveal the details of what a website and mobile application should be like in the light of these expectations and to design it within the scope of the details. The guide universe of the research, in which qualitative research method is used, consists of tourist guides affiliated with the Turkish Tourist Guides Association. From this population, 108 Tourist Guides registered in different Guide Rooms were included in the study using the convenience sampling method. The population of the research in terms of travel agencies consists of travel agencies operating in Aydın. 16 travel agencies operating in Aydın were included in the study using the convenience sampling method. Interview technique was applied using a semi-structured questionnaire to obtain data from the participants. 12 semi-structured questions were asked to guide participants and 30 semi-structured questions to agency participants. Content analysis technique was used to analyze the data obtained. Content analysis was performed manually by the researcher. According to the results of the research; It was determined that the platforms required to meet the expectations of tourist guides for their personal promotions were not sufficient or they could carry out promotional activities with limited information, the agencies had communication problems with the guides and they could not find a sufficient platform to find qualified guides suitable for their tours. A platform solution was proposed where guides can introduce themselves and agencies can communicate with the qualified guides they are looking for. In the research, common elements were determined from the data obtained from both guides and agencies and both a website and a mobile application were designed based on these concepts. The website and mobile application were put into use under the name "Theguidefy" to provide a solution for the digital marketing of guides and for agencies to access the guide of the desired quality. KEY WORDS: Tourist Guide, Travel Agency, Digital Marketing, Agency-Guide Communication, Website, Mobile Application.