THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MULTIMEDIA CONTENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL TOURISM: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MAGAZA, KOVAČEVIĆ, AND PLANTAŽE WINERIES

Abstract

Today, rural tourism represents one of the key pillars of sustainable development, economic diversification, and the demographic recovery of rural areas. However, traditional marketing channels and static website presentations are no longer sufficient to attract modern, digitally literate tourists. This paper explores the role, significance, and operational mechanisms of contemporary multimedia content (video marketing, drone photography, advanced social networks, digital storytelling, and virtual tours) in positioning and developing rural tourism destinations. A particular analytical focus is placed on wine tourism (enotourism) as the most attractive and economically propulsive branch of agritourism. Through a qualitative and comparative analysis of three distinct business models in the region – the small family-owned Magaza Winery (Serbia), the medium-sized regional leader Kovačević Winery (Serbia), and the agro-industrial giant „13. Jul – Plantaže“ (Montenegro) – this study demonstrates that a social media presence, the creation of authentic visual narratives, and integrated digital strategies directly reflect on the competitiveness of rural households. The research indicates that multimedia deployment strategies must be differentiated based on the economic size and spatial capacity of the producer, yet for all of them, it serves as a primary tool for generating tourist traffic, managing reputation, and maximizing direct sales at the doorstep. Finally, concrete recommendations are derived for the integration of spa and rural tourism in the West Pomoravlje region, with special emphasis on the potentials of the rural hinterland of Vrnjačka Banja.