Involving Events as Cocreators of Destination Brand: The Case of South Savo Region

The application of branding techniques has emerged as a strategy to identify, position, and differentiate destinations. Brand extensions primarily focus on leveraging a single common brand, which avoids the need for customers to be familiar with another partnered brand. One way DMOs and destination marketers use brand extensions is through the use of sport events. This study used the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, AZ (PMA) as a research site to investigate the process of destination branding by examining sport events as destination brand extensions. A qualitative case study approach was employed, with interviews with key stakeholders. Results suggest that the PMA’s overall destination brand relates to the outdoors, with four individual brand extensions identified: (a) weather; (b) resorts; (c) recreation and leisure activities; and (d) sport/sport events. Major professional sports team events did not fit as congruently as other types of events when serving as destination brand extensions, relative to the Valley’s outdoor parent brand. Results are discussed in terms of sport events’ role as part of greater destination brand range, relationship to other destination brand extensions, and using sport event brand extensions to enrich the destination brand. This study revealed that sport events in the PMA do serve as a prominent asset and selling point that influences the PMA’s overall destination brand. However, sport events are not seen as the area’s primary destination branding strategy, and local DMOs and tourism stakeholders in the PMA must create and maintain a broader and more comprehensive destination brand that showcases other notable attractions.

In order to establish a strong destination branding, understanding the process of image in positioning the destination is crucial. Arguably, a brand identity for a tourist destination that makes up a name is often captured from the user point of view. However, little was understood as to how the stakeholders perceived image-making, and later, the branding of destination and their influence. In this context, brand identity through projection of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), significantly contribute towards existing image. In other words, they are forcing the creation of branding using the vision of how the market and segmentation should perceive a brand. The question that may rise is how this branding process is truly acting as a catalyst of a production towards desirable destination. This paper addresses the following issues; (1) Stakeholders’ involvement particularly local community in tourism development and planning (2) previous studies in destination branding (3) the relationships between destination identity and destination brand. This paper also highlights the existing gaps in understanding destination identity from the stakeholders’ perspectives to the branding strategy. It also suggests the future studies.

Purpose — This study aims to acquire a comprehensive understanding of how social media platforms contribute to the process of destination branding by identifying major themes in the literature pertaining to social media's role in destination branding.Method — This study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology to conduct an in-depth analysis of academic journal articles pertaining to the role of Social Media Marketing (SMM) in destination branding. The review encompasses 55 final articles published and indexed in the Scopus database from 2014 to 2024. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method is employed as the framework for this systematic review, ensuring the robustness of the review process.Result — Four prominent themes have been identified regarding the role of SMM in destination branding: 1) Enhancing Destination Brand Value Co-Creation, 2) Influencing Customer-Based Brand Equity, 3) Shaping Destination Brand Identity, and 4) Driving Destination Brand Engagement and Loyalty.Practical implications — Destination marketers should leverage social media strategically to enhance brand visibility, engagement, and loyalty, utilizing these platforms as virtual stages to showcase the destination's culture, heritage, and diversity.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the complexities of engaging with local stakeholders in destination branding. As the main creators and drivers of the destination brand, many brand authorities metaphorically “give ownership” of the brand to local stakeholders, for them to “take ownership” of it. This paper examines the inherent challenges of this process. In the Tasmanian destination branding process presented here, the Tasmanian authorities used best practices to generate a sense of ownership of the destination brand among local tourism businesses. Some players engaged, but many did not. The study shows the necessity to understand the dynamics between giving ownership of the brand and the various local tourism business stakeholders actually taking ownership.Design/methodology/approachThis study looks at an Australian destination branding experience, namely, Tasmania’s “Go Behind the Scenery”. Primary data were gathered through 14 in-depth interviews with tourism operators, selected through a purposive sampling approach, based on their various levels of participation in the branding processes. The interviews aimed to understand how they variously engaged with the brand and processes of ownership.FindingsThis study shows that a relatively open interpretation of the brand can welcome wider engagement and generate a sense of ownership through the local businesses’ own interpretations. But there are also barriers for these stakeholders in developing an even stronger sense of ownership. They need more support in addressing their individual circumstance before the brand can align with their business.Originality/valueThis paper accentuates an ownership gap, understood as the gap between giving ownership (mechanisms to transfer ownership from brand authorities to stakeholders) and taking ownership (stakeholders assume responsibility for and manifest the brand). In identifying a gap between these two aspects of engagement, this paper initiates a more nuanced discussion on the mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in the branding process.

The emergence and rise of technology, including social media and online brand communities, have revolutionized consumer-brand interactions, thereby impacting consumer brand engagement and its outcomes. However, though social media-based brand engagement has developed into a key area of interest for brand managers, insight into its tourism-based dynamics and applications remains limited, particularly in the context of destination brands. To address this gap, we develop a model that explores the relationships between visitors’ destination brand engagement and its key antecedents/consequences. The findings suggest a positive effect of social media involvement and brand identification on visitors’ brand engagement, thus extending current literature-based acumen. Second, visitors’ destination brand engagement was found to positively affect the development of destination brand co-creation and loyalty, thus warranting engagement’s pivotal role in managing tourism brands. Third, we ascertain destination brand loyalty’s favorable impact on brand co-creation, warranting engagement’s and co-creation’s importance on brand managers’ strategic agenda. Overall, by furthering understanding of the role of consumers’ social media involvement in driving their destination brand identification, engagement and co-creation, our findings benefit destination branding organizations by helping to drive improved destination brand performance.

ABSTRACTEmpirical research focusing on the relationship between destination branding and destination competitiveness has so far been lacking. Even though destination brand is partially incorporated into the two most prominent theoretical models of destination competitiveness, there is still a need for understanding the role that destination branding plays in achieving destination competitiveness. For this reason, this study proposes a theory-based research instrument that joins the branding process implementation index and competitiveness measured by customer satisfaction. The proposed instrument is tested in the context of Croatian coastal destinations. The results confirm that a well-implemented destination branding process increases destination competitiveness.

Cultural events have become a significant component within the strategies of destination branding of a place. Territories are increasingly using events and cultural festivals to enhance their image and boost tourism development. Many destinations worldwide have built events portfolios as a strategic initiative to attract visitors and to develop their own brand. A destination brand represents a dynamic interaction between the destination’s core assets and the way in which potential visitors perceive them. Thus, the visitor perspective is considered as fundamental in triggering processes of destination branding. This paper investigates how the visitors assess the impact of cultural events and festivals in enhancing the image of a tourist destination. The Stresa Festival (Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy) has been selected as a case study. Stresa Festival is undoubtedly one of the best-known European classical music festivals that every year offers performances by internationally famous artists to its audiences. Structured questionnaires have been used as the methodology to carry out the research. Online questionnaires have been handed out to residents and non-resident visitors to the Stresa Festival to extract the opinions and experience from the public on the image effects of this festival. Findings reveal that there is a positive relationship between this cultural event and the enhancement of the city image and its territory.

The aim of the present research is to investigate the effect of the destination brand equity on domestic and foreign tourists emphasizing their satisfaction and trust regarding the tourism destination of Bamyan province in Afghanistan. This province is a famous and important part of the central plateau, which is the property of ancient civilization. Its distance from Kabul is 245 km. The research is applied, descriptive and correlational. The population of the study includes tourists of Bamyan tourism destination. The sample size based on Morgan’s table for an unlimited community was equivalent to 384 tourists, and finally 387 questionnaires were analyzed. The research findings indicate the destination brand awareness has a positive and significant effect on the destination brand quality (services and natural). The destination brand quality (services and natural) have a positive and significant effect on the destination brand value (functional and hedonic). The above-mentioned values have a positive effect on the destination brand trust. The destination brand trust has a significant effect on the destination brand satisfaction. Moreover, the destination brand satisfaction has a significant effect on brand introduction and tourists’ re-visit. This study examines the special value of the tourist destination brand for one of the lesser known tourist destinations in Afghanistan, namely Bamyan province and its attractions. The effect of this value on tourists’ satisfaction and loyalty has also been measured.

Events have become an increasingly significant component of destination branding. Many destinations throughout the world have developed events portfolios as a strategic initiative to attract tourists and to reinforce their brand. In this paper, the focus of research will be on tourist destination branding by means of events. The relationship between events and destination branding is examined through six phases of the process of building a destination brand identity with the use of events. When it comes to destination branding, a need for an analysis of strategic documents of destination development imposes because event tourism strategies help destinations plan how to use events in a tourism role. The purpose of this study is to examine which factors are of the top priorities when using events as a marketing approach. The method of case study will be used, by which two cultural events which take place in the Republic of Croatia will be analyzed, namely, 'Spancirfest' in Varaždin and 'Trka na prstenac' in Barban. Varaždin and Barban are on different levels in their branding work. The different sizes and locations of the destinations naturally affect the operating procedures. This article may be of interest to destination marketers and event organizers, especially in developing destinations which intend to differentiate themselves from the competitive market. .

Along with the development of tourism, the competition between tourist destinations is growing. Therefore, destinations must compete fiercely in many forms to survive and develop. Fierce competition among tourist destinations requires them to create competitive advantages over others. At this time, the destination brand is essential to help the destination achieve its development goals and ensure its position. Previous research has acknowledged the added value that brands bring to tourism destinations. However, research on destination brand equity must continue, especially for destinations with outstanding characteristics, such as cultural and heritage destinations. This article explores the factors that make up the brand equity of a cultural destination. From there, we can have a more specific view of the differences in evaluating destination brand equity. The research was carried out based on a survey of 251 tourists in Hue City, Vietnam, the cultural city of ASEAN. The results show that the dimensions of cultural property of the destination brand equity positively influence the structure of destination brand equity. The equity aspects of the cultural destination brand include the equity of the cultural destination brand, Positive associations about the cultural destination, quality of the cultural destination brand, and loyalty. Through this research, destination managers can identify the advantages of the cultural destination brand in Hue City and then have solutions to improve the equity of the destination brand there. The paper ends with a discussion of the results and implications of the study.

The study elicits visitor perceptions on the destination brand of Cameroon through sport event hosting. The nations' brand is often reduced to its geo-political and socio-economic status, and it becomes challenging for Cameroon to overcome this powerful negative discourse. Sport events are proven to be a powerful vehicle for changing perceptions and reimaging nations. This study employed a quantitative approach to data collection whereby face-to-face survey questionnaires were conducted with sport event spectators (n=465) at the AFCON tournament to determine the brand images held in the minds of visitors and moreover to determine the consequential effects on destination branding. Results of the study not only reveal that positive brand imagery is linked to cultural diversity but that it also demonstrates strong associations to sport brand positioning. The results further expose elements of branding challenges linked to policy development and leadership. This research holds key significance for destination brand stakeholders in terms of utilising appropriate marketing strategies in event promotions. It also supports existing destination branding constructs linked to brand image and brand positioning.

This paper considers the role governments and public sector organisations can play in promoting organisational competitiveness in electronic commerce using case evidence from three different European national contexts. The research indicates that stakeholder involvement can be critical for the adoption of systems by intended users and explores two alternative development scenarios for project management in the public sector. Both development scenarios represent approaches that have been adopted in practice with mixed results. The paper illustrates the importance of stakeholder analysis and stakeholder involvement in the development process. In particular, we argue that the consideration of a broad range of stakeholder perspectives is essential for establishing the public sector as a capable change agent for organisational competitiveness in electronic commerce.

Cultural events of different types are part of the attraction of a destination and have become an increasingly significant component of destination branding. Many destinations throughout the world have developed events portfolios as a strategic initiative to attract tourists and to reinforce their brand. This implies the need to evaluate the contribution of an event not just in terms of the direct financial contribution that it generates but also in terms of its consistency with the destination brand values. The study aims to analyze and interpret the expectations and the potential impact of cultural events on destination branding, highlighting the importance of achieving a good ‘nation brand’, which became a valuable asset for any tourist destination. The paper suggested that cultural events are the key tourism marketing tool and that they present an opportunity for destinations marketers to help position their destination amongst its competitors. A field survey based on qualitative approach was conducted through interviews with the industry key stakeholders, in addition to the observational descriptive research, investigating the interaction of both cultural events and destination branding attributes on tourists’ intention to visit the destination. The study introduces the contribution and the effects of selected examples of ‘cultural events’; El-Moez street festival and Abu Simbel Sun festival. These events were selected according to latest tourist online reviews, which are so identified with the spirit or ethos of the place or the destination, gaining widespread recognition, enhancing awareness, and thus having a potential to be particularly effective in promoting, regenerating and branding Egypt as a tourist destination

After the liberation war of independence in April 1980, Zimbabwe wanted to disassociate itself from its negative past that is the colonial system, the war, the sanctions, and other social ills, which had contributed to negative publicity during that time. A new identity was chosen, named “Discover Zimbabwe.” The major challenge at that time was to gain acceptance of the brand and make it work. While the brand was associated with the successful transformation of the political system, the “Discover Zimbabwe” phenomenon did not gain favorable acceptance from industry practitioners, as they felt that there was no collaboration in the branding process. After a lengthy consultative process with sectarian bodies, a new brand was born, namely “Zimbabwe, Africa's Paradise.” The aim was to develop a rounded theme that would address all the issues about brand association, perception, image, and positioning. This study sought to establish the key trends and developments in the destination and their impact on destination branding. The study used a quantitative research design to trace the current situation in Zimbabwe and its subsequent impacts on destination branding and positioning. The findings indicate that the political conflict has had a negative impact on the destination's brand, “Africa's Paradise.” Furthermore, it identifies a number of factors to be considered in destination rebranding and outlines the key challenges to position a tourism destination under uncertain conditions.

This study explored the impact of cultural heritage on destination branding and tourist experiences, using South Korea as a case study. South Korea, a country rich in cultural heritage, offers a unique opportunity to examine the integration of traditional culture into destination branding strategies and the resultant effects on tourist experiences. This research employed both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including surveys of tourists, interviews with tourism professionals, and content analysis of promotional materials. The findings suggest that South Korea's cultural heritage significantly contributes to its destination branding. The study indicated that South Korea’s unique cultural heritage elements, such as historic sites, traditional festivals, arts, cuisine, and lifestyle, are prominently featured in its branding strategies. These components help to differentiate South Korea from other destinations, fostering a unique image that appeals to both domestic and international tourists. Moreover, the study demonstrates that cultural heritage considerably enhances tourist experiences. The authenticity and diversity of South Korea’s cultural heritage evoke feelings of novelty and curiosity among tourists, enriching their experiences. The cultural heritage sites and activities enable tourists to immerse themselves in the local culture, promoting cultural understanding and appreciation. However, the study also points out potential challenges, including over-tourism and the commodification of culture, which could threaten the integrity and authenticity of cultural heritage. In conclusion, this research reaffirms the profound impact of cultural heritage on destination branding and tourist experiences. It provides valuable insights for destination marketers and policymakers in South Korea and other destinations with rich cultural heritage, on how to effectively utilize cultural heritage for destination branding, improve tourist experiences, and promote sustainable tourism. Keywords: Cultural Heritage, Destination Branding, Tourist Experiences, South Korea, Heritage Tourism, Cultural Authenticity, Sustainable Tourism Development