Abstract
Amidst the growing number of tourism villages and intensifying competition among destinations, tourism village managers face the challenge of devising digital marketing strategies that are not merely informative but also capable of sustainably building meaning, experiences, and destination competitiveness. This study aims to examine the social media-based digital marketing strategies implemented by a specific attraction within Pujon Kidul Tourism Village identifying supporting and inhibiting factors and to analyze the role of digital narratives in shaping the destination's image and competitiveness. A qualitative approach was employed, with data collected through in-depth interviews with tourism village managers (BUMDes), the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), tourism-related MSMEs, village officials, and tourists. Data analysis was conducted thematically, utilizing source triangulation to ensure the validity of the findings. The study reveals that social media management remains reactive and unplanned, characterized by the absence of content calendars, creative direction, and performance evaluation mechanisms. Furthermore, there is a misalignment between the digital narratives used and the core identity of Cafe Sawah Pujon Kidul as a culinary destination rooted in the rural experience. Nevertheless, there are opportunities to be leveraged, such as hosting TikTok live streams which have proven effective for content collaboration with local SMEs and communities as well as the management's openness to learning and guidance.
