Abstract :
This qualitative descriptive study aimed to examine and analyze village tourism marketing in Gorontalo Province. The study involved a sample of 308 tourists and 30 local residents near a tourist village location during the new normal period amid the Covid-19 pandemic. By using descriptive statistical, Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) data analysis, this study proved: (1) the Perceived sustainability score was 80.18% which fell in the “adequate” category, indicating that Tourism villages in Gorontalo Province was perceived as “less than optimal” due to economic and environmental aspects that tourism managers must address; (2) Green Tourism had an insignificant positive effect on Perceived sustainability in Tourism Villages in Gorontalo Province; (3) Green Tourism had a positive and significant effect on interest in revisiting the Tourism Village in Gorontalo Province; (4) Perceived sustainability had a negative and significant effect on interest in revisiting the Tourism Village in Gorontalo Province; (5) Electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) had a positive and significant effect on interest in revisiting the Tourism Village in Gorontalo Province; (6) Green Tourism through perceived sustainability had an insignificant negative effect on the interest in revisiting the Tourism Village in Gorontalo Province; (7) Moderation of e-WOM on the influence of Green Tourism on the interest of returning to tourist villages in Gorontalo Province was positive, but not significant; (8) Moderation of e-WOM on the effect of perceived sustainability on intention to revisiting the tourism site was negative, but not significant. On the theoretical aspect, the Green Tourism-based marketing strategy model is recommended to use as a source of study in the Village Tourism Marketing Management Concept. On the empirical aspect, on the other hand, the model can be utilized for further research focusing on empowering existing resources in rural tourism.