Handbook on Tourism

Destinations Branding
With an introduction by Simon Anholt

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Copyright © 2009 World Tourism Organization and European Travel Commission
Cover photo: copyright © Kheng Guan Toh, BigStockPhoto.com

Handbook on Tourism Destinations Branding

ISBN: 978-92-844-1311-9 (UNWTO)
ISBN: 978-92-990050-6-4 (ETC)

Published by the World Tourism Organization and the European Travel Commission
Printed by the World Tourism Organization, Madrid, Spain
First printing 2009
All rights reserved

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vii

Introductory Essay ............................................................................................................ ix

Why National Image Matters – By Simon Anholt

Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... xvii

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... xxiii

1 Branding Explained ........................................................................................................... 1

1.1 The Global Context ..................................................................................................... 1
1.1.1 Global Tourism Trends ..................................................................................... 1
1.1.2 Travel Motivation ............................................................................................. 2
1.1.3 Technological Change .................................................................................... 3
1.1.4 Competitive Environment ................................................................................ 4
1.2 Role: What a Brand Is and What It Is Not .................................................................... 6
1.2.1 Different Brand Types ...................................................................................... 13
1.2.2 Consumer Product Brands ............................................................................. 13
1.2.3 Service Brands................................................................................................ 14
1.2.4 Destination Brands.......................................................................................... 14
1.2.5 Place Brands .................................................................................................. 15
1.2.6 Thematic Brands............................................................................................. 18
1.2.7 Geographic versus Thematic Branding............................................................ 19
1.2.8 Events: Reinforcing the Brand ......................................................................... 20
1.3 The Future ................................................................................................................... 22
1.3.1 Travel Motivation: The Experience Economy .................................................... 22
1.3.2 Commodities versus Brands ........................................................................... 24
1.3.3 From ‘Destination’ to ‘Place’ ........................................................................... 24
1.3.4 Branding in the Digital Age .............................................................................. 29

2 Practical Guide to Branding Strategy .............................................................................. 33

2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 33
2.2 Defining Branding Objectives ....................................................................................... 33
2.3 Brand Positioning ........................................................................................................ 34
2.4 The Branding Process ................................................................................................. 34
2.4.1 Overview and Key Steps ................................................................................. 34
2.4.2 Destination Audit ............................................................................................. 35
2.4.3 Segmentation Analysis .................................................................................... 36

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iv Handbook on Tourism Destinations Branding

2.4.4 SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................... 37

2.4.5 Stakeholder Engagement ................................................................................ 37
2.4.6 Consumer Perception Research...................................................................... 39
2.4.7 Competitor Analysis ........................................................................................ 42
2.4.8 Brand-building Models – Overview ................................................................. 44
2.4.9 Brand-building Models – The Brand Pyramid .................................................. 44
2.4.10 Brand-building Models – Brand Assets Template ............................................ 48
2.4.11 Brand-building Models – The Brand Wheel ..................................................... 49
2.4.12 Brand-building Models – Brand Wheel versus Brand Pyramid and
Brand Assets Template: Which One to Use? ................................................... 52
2.4.13 Integrating the Brand into Marketing Activities ................................................. 53
2.4.14 Global versus Local Marketing Campaigns ...................................................... 55
2.4.15 Global Brand versus Target Segments ............................................................ 56
2.5 The Challenges ........................................................................................................... 56
2.5.1 Understanding Visitors and Non-visitors .......................................................... 57
2.5.2 Achieving Stakeholder Buy-in .......................................................................... 57
2.5.3 Brand Architecture: The Relationship with Sub-national and
Supra-national Brands ................................................................................... 60
2.5.4 Stretching the Brand through Partnership ....................................................... 68
2.5.5 User-generated Content and Social Networking: Threat or Opportunity? ......... 73
2.5.6 Brand Coherence: Image without Cliché ........................................................ 77
2.5.7 Branding on a Budget .................................................................................... 78
2.5.8 Brand Lifespan................................................................................................ 79

3 Bringing the Brand to Life ................................................................................................ 85

3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 85
3.2 Applying the Brand Values – Marketing Communications ............................................ 86
3.2.1 Marketing Communications............................................................................. 86
3.2.2 Toolkit/Brand Guidelines.................................................................................. 86
3.2.3 The Logo: Brand Essence or Symbol? ............................................................ 89
3.2.4 Slogans and Straplines ................................................................................... 92
3.2.5 The Creative Brief............................................................................................ 94
3.3 Living the Brand Values – Behaviour ............................................................................ 96

4 Managing the Brand .......................................................................................................... 99

4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 99
4.2 Brand Manager/Guardian ............................................................................................ 100
4.3 Steering Group ............................................................................................................ 100
4.4 Internal Marketing: NTO Staff ...................................................................................... 101
4.5 Internal Marketing: Residents ...................................................................................... 101
4.6 Internal Marketing: Commercial and other Stakeholders .............................................. 102
4.7 Brand Champions ....................................................................................................... 102
4.8 Brand Advocates ........................................................................................................ 102
4.9 Brand Seminars .......................................................................................................... 103
4.10 Maintaining Momentum – Keeping the Brand Fresh..................................................... 103

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 Table of Contents v

5 Measuring Brand Impact .................................................................................................. 105

5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 105
5.2 Brand Tracking Surveys ............................................................................................... 106
5.3 Online Panel Surveys ................................................................................................... 108
5.4 Omnibus-style Surveys ................................................................................................ 108
5.5 International Benchmarking Surveys ............................................................................ 109
5.6 Visitor Satisfaction Surveys .......................................................................................... 110
5.7 Monitoring Media Coverage ........................................................................................ 110

6 Branding Strategies in Action .......................................................................................... 113

6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 113
6.2 Case Studies .............................................................................................................. 114

7 Conclusions and Recommendations .............................................................................. 139

7.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 139
7.2 At the Beginning: Understanding the Brand and Its Role ............................................. 139
7.3 Developing the Brand – Main Steps............................................................................. 140
7.4 Implementing the Brand ............................................................................................. 142
7.5 Managing and Monitoring the Brand ........................................................................... 142
7.6 Critical Success Factors and the Future ...................................................................... 143

Annexes
Annex 1 Current NTO Branding Practices (NTO Branding Survey) ............................. 145
Annex 2 Glossary of Terms .............................................................................................. 157

Bibliography ....................................................................................................................... 163

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