Visual Component of Destination Brands as a Tool for Communicating Sustainable Tourism Offers

Anna Adamus-Matuszyńska,Jerzy Michnik,Grzegorz Polok,Piotr Dzik

doi:10.3390/su13020731

Abstract

The starting point of the presented research is the theory of destination marketing, in which the concept of destination branding is the key element. Destination branding models include the idea of visual brand identity, which includes the logo as a crucial element. Since the 1980s, the concept of sustainable development has shaped the society and global economy, including tourism. Tourists are increasingly guided by the analysis of the tourist area in terms of the importance of nature and the possibility of spending free time responsibly. They look for a sustainable tourist offer. Therefore, the aim of this work is to evaluate the tourist offers of Polish territorial units in terms of visual message—logo and its content, and to examine whether they comprise design components that reveal the sustainable development of the destination. The research method was content analysis of promotional signs. Sustainable development in tourism focuses on three pillars: nature, responsible tourist activity, and the historical remains protected in a sustainable way. The authors search for such images in the logos. In the conclusion, the authors summarize that elements of nature and historical heritage are strongly present in the logos, which does not mean that the tourist offer is a balanced offer.

Highlights

Published: 13 January 2021The visual components of the destinations’ brands—signatures of towns and counties—were the subjects of the presented research
Half of the surveyed local government units use visual signs, such as the logos in their promotional activities, and most of them communicate symbols representing the values of sustainable development
The quantitative analysis shows that local governments denotate mostly nature and cultural heritage in visual messages addressed to visitors and residents

Summary

Introduction

Published: 13 January 2021The visual components of the destinations’ brands—signatures of towns and counties (in Polish language—poviats)—were the subjects of the presented research. The authors examined obtainable logos and slogans (obtainable here means practiced in destination branding at the time of the query (from January to the end of June 2020)). How many of these narratives communicate the sustainable development of tourist destinations?. How is sustainable tourism communicated in promotional signatures?. The use of a visual analysis method by analyzing the presence of design components which are closely connected with sustainability. Visual methods raise methodological questions [1,2], and they are used in tourism analysis [3], they still raise doubts in academia. The authors indicate, that the subject of research (logo) itself provokes the use of visual analysis, and the method would have to be appropriate—at the same time—for quantitative and qualitative analyses. The study enriches research on destination branding by conducting analyses of Poland as a case study and thirdly applying an interdisciplinary approach—both elements are rare in the literature [4]

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Conclusion