Country Branding From A Global Cultural Tourism Perspective

country brandingfrom a global cultural tourism perspective

A comparison between

Future Brand Country Brand Index

and Anhold GfK Roper Nation Brands Index

© 2009 Cultural Realms | A Vizantia Enterprises Company

2009 edition

country branding: a comparison between Country Brand Index (CBI) and Nation Brands Index (NBI)

part one: the BIG picture


The winner:USAWidely attributed toPresident Barack Obama

The winners:European countries(6 out of 10 in top positions)

The winner country brands:USA, Italy, Spain(equal rank in both indexes)

Barack Obama in Berlin 2008 in front of a 250,000 people crowd


part two: the economic aspects


The winner:USAThe country with the largestGDP in the world

The winners:EU CountriesThe largest GDP as a group6 out 10 top 10 positions inboth Indexes

The loosers:China, Russia, Brazil,economic superpowerswith not so great countrybranding in both indexes


part two: the economic aspects


The looser:RussiaThe only one G-8 countrywith week brand

The winner: USAPowerful brand coincidingwith real world power

President Medvedev at the World Economic Forum, DavosThe place where economic superpowers meet


part three: history, arts and culture aspects


The loosers:Spain, Russia, Mexico,Countries with millennialhistory not in the top 10of CBI. Not clear if they arein top 10 in NBI

The winners: Italy, France, UK,India, Egypt, In top 10 both in CBI and NBI

Altamira Cave in Spain, one of the oldest prehistoric art examples in the world: 25,000 25,000 years old


part four: tourism aspects


The loosers:Turkey, Ukraine, China &MexicoIn the top 10 most visitedcountries in the world, butwith underperforming overallcountry branding

The winners: US, France, Italy, UK, Germany & Spain In top the top 10 countryoverall country branding

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey: one of the most visitedUNESCO monument. Virgin Mary majolica mosaic detail




The loosers:Turkey, Ukraine, China &MexicoIn the top 10 most visitedcountries in the world, butwith underperforming overallcountry branding

The winners: US, France, Italy, UK, Germany & Spain In top the top 10 countryoverall country branding

Kiev, the Gift Chapel, Ukraine. Photo: Sera TJ




The loosers:Turkey, Austria & China Inthe top 10 most visitedcountries in the world, butwith underperforming overallcountry branding

The winners: US, France, Italy, UK, Germany, Australia & Spain In top the top 10 countryoverall country branding

Vienna, Austria Photo: scottpartee




The loosers:Turkey, Austria & China Inthe top 10 most visitedcountries in the world, butwith underperforming overallcountry branding

The winners: US, France, Italy, UK, Germany, Australia & Spain In top the top 10 countryoverall country branding

China Great Wall Photo: Christopher Chan




Not enough:Countries on top 10 positionsin tourism branding are notalways the most popularcountry brands, like India,Singapore, China, etc.

The importance of tourismbranding dimensions All countries in top10 positions in country branding are also in top 10 country tourism brands

Taj Mahal, India Photo:Beta Design


part four: tourism aspects: fact check


Tourism branding does notautomatically means morearrivals:Canada and India are notamong the top 10 inInternational Arrivals.

The importance of tourismbranding dimensions Is it really important? For major tourism destinationCountries (USA, France,Italy, China, Spain, etc. )Yes!

Duffey Lake, Canada, Photo: Jacques Daigneault




Tourism branding doestranslate into internationaltourism receiptsException: Japan, who is notin top 10 of Receipts, but intop 5 in tourism branding inCBI composite

The importance of tourismbranding dimensions When it comes to “show methe money” factor, tourismbranding plays a major role

Fushimi Inary, Koyoto,, Japan, Photo: JPellgen




Or almost…Exception: the number 1, 2 &7 countries best prepared tocompete in travel andtourism are not among theTop 10 in country brandingfor tourism in the CBI

Hard data vindicates the top10 tourism brands whenit comes to country tourism and travel competitivenessFrance, Spain, Germany, Canada, USA, Australia & Singapore

Geneva, Switzerland, Hotel de la Ciigogne, Photo UGGBoy


part five: trends: cultural tourism rules


Or almost…Exception:Egypt, India, Peru, Greece,Jordan and Israel

Countries with strong cultural tourism brands are also among the most visited countries: France, China, Italy, UK, andGermany

Luxor, Egypt Photo: Charlie Phillips

There is not any other category in country branding for business, sports, events, shopping, adventure, natural beauty, or other tourism branding dimensions,which number ones are among the most visited countries worldwide.


part five: trends: cultural tourism rules


Or almost…Exception:Egypt, India, Peru, Greece,Jordan and Israel

Countries with strong cultural tourism brands are also among the countries in the top 10 in tourism receipts.France, China, Italy, UK, andGermany

Petra, Jordan. Photo: Carrie McDougall


part five: trends: from cultural tourism to creative tourism


Exceptions: Egypt, Peru,Greece, Jordan and Israel

Countries with important l development of their culturalIndustries are the winnersIn cultural tourism brandingIndia, Italy, France, China, UKand Germany

UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu. Photo: Carrie McDougall

Engagement traveler – a step forward to a realcreative tourism


part six: conclusion


When it comes toglobal culturaltourism, the overallcountry branding ishelping more thancountry tourismbranding based oncultural heritage. Inthis comparison,FutureBrand CBIhas more value forpractitioners, sincefrom the table isobvious that eventhe position of thecountries bestbranded forcultural tourismcoincides to theiroverall countrybranding.




Importance of thecreative industriesdimensions for culturaltourism: Six out of the10 top 10 brands in CBIand 7 out of the top 10of NBI are among thetop 10 in creativeindustries exportsworldwide – a seriouscountry brand driverand indispensableingredient in the nextstate of the culturaltourism – the creativetourism.




As a conclusion, National Brands

Index is more useful for research

institutions with large budgets and the

highest level of policy makers in rich

governments. Country Brand Index is

targeted to practitioners and has

much move value for cultural tourism

hands-on strategy advisors,

consultants, DMOs, CVBs and tour

operator managers and much more

accessible for small and medium

enterprises, not so affluent countries

and individual tourism strategy

consultants.


More information:


Full text of my analysis at: http://culturalrealms.typepad.com. Please post your comments directly onthe blog or write me at: [email protected]

This comparison was prepared based on Country Brand Index (CBI) byFutureBrand and Anhold GfK Roper Nation Brands Index (NBI).

You can find and download the CBI summary at: http://futurebrand.com/cbi

You can find the NBI summary at:http://www.simonanholt.com/Publications/publications-other-articles.aspx

Author: Rossitza Ohridska-Olson

The opinions expressed in this presentation and my personal blogare not the opinions of the companies who created the indexes.They are my personal observations and are not sponsored orinfluenced by any of the authors of the analyzed documents.

Country Branding From A Global Cultural Tourism Perspective

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