Tour operators perceptions on “Zimbabwe: A World of Wonders” tourism brand.

Abstract

Zimbabwe's brand theme Discover Zimbabwe put in place soon after the country's independence was replaced by Africa's Paradise which was characterised by images of economic hardships which negatively affected tourism development resulting in the destination being rebranded to A World of Wonders. In today's competitive environment, destinations have to fight for visitors and therefore strategic approaches to destination branding are essential. The failure to incorporate stakeholder perspectives in managing brands to competitively contribute to tourism development can compromise collaboration amongst different players in the tourism sector. This study used a quantitative approach to explore Tour Operators' perceptions on Zimbabwe's destination rebranding exercise (Zimbabwe: A World of Wonders), mainly focusing on brand coverage, stakeholder consultation and value for money associated with the brand. Findings from the study indicate that in terms of brand coverage, Zimbabwe: A World of Wonders brand covers extensive aspects (economic, heritage, and destination accessibility). Further the findings indicate that stakeholders were consulted on policy and partnership issues but implementation was the challenge. We therefore concluded that in as much as the brand covers a wide range of aspects, issues addressed during stakeholder consultation have to be implemented for the brand to succeed.