Ethnobranding and its role in increasing the investment and tourist attractiveness of rural areas in the context of the coronavirus pandemic (on the example of the Bashkir TRANS-Urals)

Abstract

This article uses the example of the Bashkir TRANS – Urals-South-Eastern regions of the Republic of Bashkortostan to describe the prospects for using ethno-branding tools in regional and municipal management of rural development in terms of increasing their investment and tourist attractiveness in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. From the authors' point of view, the regions of the Bashkir TRANS-Urals have a number of competitive advantages, including a rich history, unique tourist and recreational resources, and preserved traditions and customs of the indigenous Bashkir population. But in order for these advantages to contribute to the growth of investment and tourist attractiveness of these rural areas, it is necessary to create recognizable and most attractive images, ethnobrands through the active use of tools of territorial marketing and branding, in particular, ethnobranding. To increase the effectiveness of territorial ethnobranding, the authors justify the need to consolidate the efforts of Federal, regional and local authorities, the business community, research and educational institutions, and private firms professionally engaged in marketing, branding, advertising, and promotion of goods and services. City and district Administrations, business incubators in Ufa, Sterlitamak, Salavat, Oktyabrsky, information and consulting centers of municipalities, Universities, Colleges, institutions of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and well-known consulting firms can act as coordinators and consultants in matters of territorial marketing and branding. The authors concluded that the active use of regional and municipal management tools tobringing should contribute to more effective promotion of products and services from local producers to national and international markets, increase their investment and tourist attractiveness, growth of the tourist flow in South-Eastern Bashkortostan, increase employment and quality of life of the villagers.