KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DEVELOPING A COUNTRY’S TOURISM BRANDING STRATEGY

Abstract

Brand identity, brand positioning and brand image are three of the most important concepts that need to be considered when developing a successful tourism branding strategy. A credible positioning is based on a distinctive and coherent identity, therefore the relationship between these two elements needs to be carefully managed. Also, the brand image is formed following the positioning process, it aligns with the brand identity and it symbolizes the perception of consumers. Thus, the successful development of the national tourism brand of Romania is dependent on the ability to create a coherent identity of the country and a distinctive positioning as a unique tourism destination among the competitors in the region that offer similar travel experiences and benefits. In this context, the paper presents the methodology, main results and conclusions of a quantitative research, that was conducted among 246 respondents in order to validate a conceptual model regarding the relationship between brand identity, brand positioning and brand image in case of Romania’s tourism brand. The model was designed considering the most important determinants of the national tourism brand identity, namely the brand attributes, the brand iconography and the brand personality, and also of the brand positioning, namely the differentiation elements and the target group. The brand image took into consideration the benefits and associations made with the national tourism brand. The analysis and validation of the proposed conceptual model was accomplished using structural equations modelling.

Keywords

• national tourism brand
• tourism marketing
• brand identity
• brand positioning
• brand image