The concept of destination branding
All products require a "branding" effort to successfully compete for customers. Destination
branding is about combining all the attributes
associated with the place (i.e. its products, and
services from various industries such as agriculture, tourism, sports, arts, investment, technology, education, etc.) under one concept, which
expresses a unique identity and personality of the
destination and differentiates it from its competition. Most importantly, branding requires a vision
and mission about the destination and its future
success. For example, the vision of “The Henry
Ford” is that within a decade it will be the greatest history attraction in America, setting the standards in this field for educational value, hospitality, and meaningful, memorable and satisfying
visitor experiences that are related to its mission.
What is behind a brand and what does it take to
create a brand? It is important to understand
what brand means in order to better utilize its
marketing potential. A brand is an accumulation
of characteristics that form a destination’s image
and identity. In simple words, branding is a
promise to the consumer,an expectation of
performance and a mark of integrity and
reputation (Travis, 2000). It builds up continuously in the minds of the destination’s consumers
and it is affected by experiences, memories
(Deutsch and Real, 2002) and other visitors’ comments. A brand reflects all the destination products and services, which are part of the destination’s identity. A brand needs to have unique
elements, which differentiate it from its competitors and establish an image in the mind of the
consumer. After establishing an image, branding
can further build upon other destination brand
elements.