Consumer‐based brand equity for Australia as a long‐haul tourism destination in an emerging market

Abstract

PurposeAlthough the branding literature emerged during the 1940s, research relating to tourism destination branding has only gained momentum since the late 1990s. There remains a lack of theory in particular that addresses the measurement of the effectiveness of destination branding over time. The purpose of this paper is to test the effectiveness of a model of consumer‐based brand equity (CBBE) for a country destination.Design/methodology/approachA model of CBBE was adapted from the marketing literature and applied to a nation context. The model was tested by using structural equation modelling with data from a large Chilean sample (n=845) comprising a mix of previous visitors and non‐visitors. The model fits the data well.FindingsThe paper reports the results of an investigation into brand equity for Australia as a long‐haul destination in an emerging market. The research took place just before the launch of the nation's fourth new brand campaign in six years. The results indicate Australia is a well‐known but not compelling destination brand for tourists in Chile, which reflects the lower priority the South American market has been given by the national tourism office.Practical implicationsThe paper suggested that CBBE measures could be analysed at various points in time to track any strengthening or weakening of market perceptions in relation to brand objectives. A standard CBBE instrument could provide long‐term effectiveness performance measures regardless of changes in destination marketing organisation staff, advertising agency, other stakeholders and budget.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the nation‐branding literature by being one of the first to test the efficacy of a model of CBBE for a tourism destination brand.