Making Sri Lanka a Top

Tourist Destination
Answer - Nation Branding

Sri Lanka Tourism

Todays Topic
How to make Sri Lanka a top tourist
destination.

What is a Top Tourist Destination?

 A Top Destination
Qualitative Attributes
Europe Asia S Asia
France China India

1 - Arrivals 60 mil 50 mil 5.5 mil

2 Number of room nights
3 Contribution to the GDP
4 Employment generated

Qualitative Attributes
Most satisfying destination (Happiness Index)
Most sought after destination (Top of the image)
 Answer is Nation Branding .

Q- What is nation Branding ?

8/5/2017
4
 Nation branding is a process by which
governments on behalf of their people, their
institutions and their companies, discover what
the worlds perception of their country is, and
develop a strategy for managing it.
FutureBrands Top 10
Country Brands 2009
are as follows:
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Australia
4. New Zealand
5. France
6. Italy
7. Japan
8. Great Britain
9. Germany
10. Spain
 Most people or organizations do not
have time to learn about what other
places are really like.
Most of us are much too busy finding
about ourselves and about our own
country rather than about the reality of a
perception of 6 billion people living in
nearly 200 countries around the world.
 Paris reflects style; Japan - technology;
Switzerland - Peace; Africa - poverty, corruption
and war.
It is difficult for a country to persuade people in
other parts of the world to go beyond these
simple images and start to understand the rich
complexity that lies behind them.
While the global media at times unfairly portrayed
Thailand as being unsafe for tourists, in actual fact
outside of Bangkok, and specifically the Rajprasong
area, life remained peaceful and unaffected by the
events which took place.

When there were the Athens anti-austerity riots in

May and the Toronto G20 protests in June, travelers
were only warned specifically about the protests
happening in those cities, but were not told to
avoid Greece or Canada as nations.
Please rank the following
From Book
Brand Australia is about selling Australia to the world and
demonstrating the full versatility and diversity this nation has
to offer,
Being the quiet achiever is not going to cut it in an
increasingly competitive global market. We need to market
ourselves better. Australian is known as a great place to
have a holiday but it is also a great place to do business. We
should be better regarded as a dynamic and creative nation,
a good global citizen and a strong business partner.
We want greater international recognition of our many
achievements. These achievements include 11 Nobel prize
winners, WiFi technology, the bionic ear and a vaccine for
cervical cancer.
Prime Minister of Australia
Tourist Arrival figures to Sri Lanka
2002 to June 2010
Year Total Arrivals
2002 393,171
2003 500,642
2004 566,202
2005 549,308
2006 559,603
2007 494,008
2008 438,475
2009 447,890
2010(up to June) 278,652
Top Ten Barriers
While Sri Lanka has excellent potential to expand
international tourism to the island, there are 10
significant barriers to market growth:
1. Sri Lanka Still Below The Radar As A Tourism
Destination
2. Poor Understanding of The Sri Lanka Tourism
Product
3. Significant Competition from Neighbouring Countries
4. Sri Lanka Brand Not Clearly Differentiated
5. Lingering Concern Due to The Conflict
6. Inactive Tour Operators Unaware of Opportunities
7. Poor Air Service from Russia and China
8. Too Few 4 and 5 Star Properties
Insignia Research 2009
Current level of interest in Sri Lanka
76% 75%

56%
52%

20% 23%
18%
6% 9% 6%
1% 1% 4%
2%

U.K. Germany France Russia Middle India China

East

Pre-exposure to product images & descriptions Post-exposure

Insignia Research 2009

 Do only rich nations carry
out nation branding?
Benjamin Friedmans The Moral Consequence
of Economic Greatness in Foreign Affairs
outlines the fascinating spectacle of world class
economies vying with each other to be perceived
as more moral, more cultural, more sensitive and
more based in soft values.
The question of happiness has begun to emerge.
 It is a key component in nation
branding to attempt to build a
reputation that is
fair,
true,
powerful,
attractive,
genuinely useful to their economic,
political and social aims, and
honestly reflects the spirit, the
genius and the will of the people.
This huge task has become
one of the primary skills of
governments in the twenty-
first century.
 Academic Viewpoint
It is well established that a destination is
not a product. Places and countries are too
complex to include in branding
discussions since they have too many
stakeholders and too little management
control. Morgan Pritchard (2009).
It has been identified that it is probably
the area of tourism marketing that nation -
branding is developed. Hankinson
(2004).
 If one takes a look at a monthly travel
magazine, it is very easy to notice how
all countries brand advertising to seize
attention and awareness, (Brand Index
2007).
Therefore, all countries must look beyond
traditional marketing channels to further
differentiate themselves and create a
unique and relevant message.
Countries are like multi-national corporations.
They need a well thought out brand platform
that can create a seamless connection between
the pre-expectation and the post experience.
The commitment to this common brand platform
should start at the most senior levels in the
government.
When this does not happen there will be a
clear fragmentation in country branding.
Different public agencies tell different brand
stories, with little or no integration among them.
Despite the clear benefits of creating a more
integrated platform that allows potential, there
are cross benefits for each agency.
FutureBrands
 Many countries in Africa and
Eastern Europe are developing a
mechanism to establish a unified
brand platform among various
public institutions. Countries that
have not developed such a system
find it difficult to later integrate or
adopt a strategy developed for a
specific agency.
FutureBrand
Today, most countries promote their products
and services and steer their reputation as best
they can, but they seldom do it in a coordinated
way:
i. Tourist boards promote the country to
holidaymakers and business travelers.
ii. Investment promotion agencies promote
the country to foreign companies and
investors.
iii. Cultural institutes build cultural relations
with other countries and promote the countrys
cultural and educational products and services.
iv. The countrys exporters promote their
products and services abroad.
v. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its
policies to overseas publics in the best possible
light, and sometimes attempts to manage the
national reputation as a whole.
 Where national
reputation comes from
 How peoples perceptions of the
country are formed in the first place:
by things that are done in the country,
and the way they are done
by the things that are made in the
country, and the way they are made
by the way other people talk about the
country
by the way the country talks about itself.
8/5/2017 25
 Building the Image of a Country
Adopted from Simon Anholt

Sports Tourism

People
Exports
(Diaspora)

Culture
Public
Diplomacy
26
 Tourism promotion can lead the nation branding
exercise as there is an open mandate to promote the
country
Export brands this is where a country can brand on the
country of origin factor. E.g.: Sony Made in Japan
Policy decisions of the country lies with the Government
People of the country High profile leaders, stars,
sportsmen and women and the population, how they
behave when they travel overseas, what they convey
about the country and how we treat visitors in the
country.
Sports
 Experts like to talk about viral
marketing, buzz marketing,
word of mouth, peer
influence and cascade
marketing as if they were
somehow different from
classic marketing, but in fact,
all good marketing is viral,
and always has been. People
are the only efficient and
cost effective advertising
medium for reaching large
numbers of other people.
 Country of Origin Effect
If you have a choice between two DVD players
from unlike markets with identical features,
would you expect to pay more for the brand
from Japan or the one from China?

If you had two qualified candidates for a senior

management role, would you be more likely to
pick the British or the Bangladeshi?

Would you rather your capital city be twinned

with Sidney or Sarajevo?

Most people have a clear idea of the answers

they would pick for the above questions, even
though they would not know much about the
country.
 The country of origin has a different impact on many aspects of
the country which include tourism, exports, art, etc Italy is a
good example of this. People now consider made in as
powerful as made by. German Engineers, French Chic, Italian
Flairs, Swedish design and Ceylon Tea are to name a few.

British Airways would never have become the worlds favourite

airline if it had not been, first and foremost, British Airways: the
age-old popular perception of brand Britain (methodical,
punctual, predictable, efficient, traditional, heritage-obsessed,
class-ridden, status-driven, ceremonious, perhaps a bit boring)
makes Britain the ultimate, the supremely logical country of
origin for any brand in the business of air travel, hospitality and
tourism. It is easy to be wise after the event, but by cutting off
its connection with its home brand, British Airways simply pulled
the plug on its principal brand equity.
 Sports and Events
Public awareness of major cultural/ sporting events
City Event Awareness
Rio de Janeiro Carnival 71.17
Milan Fashion Shows 48.58
Edinburgh Fringe Festival 27.94
Los Angeles Academy Awards 27.72
Stockholm Nobel Awards 27.63
Madrid Ball Run/ Bull Fighting 20.24
San Francisco Gay Day 19.71
Paris Fashion shows 18.36
FutureBrand
Culture for Nation Branding
There is a concern that they dont
sell or provide return on
investment- in the same way that
inward investment, exports or
tourism do. So, culture becomes
relegated to the status of a not-
for-profit activity, a kind of
charitable philanthropic
obligation.
 Making Culture Magnetic
Magnetic ideas that cease the
imagination:
1. The Ice Hotel in Sweden
2. The Pike Palace Fish Market in
Seattle
3. Isla Mujeres an Island off the
Coast of Mexico
Poetry, Ceremony and Ritual
for Nation Branding
Poetry, ceremony and ritual, even romance,
can also play a significant part in the success
of the venture.
Far better results can be achieved when we
turn instead to the techniques which our (in
some ways) wiser fore-bearers employed
when it was necessary to make things feel
important: ritual, ceremony, poetry, and
even a little hocus-pocus.
instead of just listening to what economists,
pollsters and public affairs specialists think
the future image of the country should be,
why not also consult writers, poets,
filmmakers, mystics, comedians?
Tourism and
Nation Branding
Creating strategic agreement
between the tourist board and
other stakeholders in the national
reputation is not always an easy
task. The image presented by the
tourist industry may be seen as
irrelevant, unhelpful or even
damaging to the countrys other
national initiatives, especially
promoting for trade or inward
investment.
 Far better results can be achieved if the work
of the factors mentioned above are
coordinated and harmonized to an overall
national strategy that sets clear goals for the
countrys economy, its society and its political
and cultural relations with other countries.
In most countries, there are many other
bodies, agencies, ministries, special interest
groups, NGOs and companies all promoting
their version of the country.
 Benefits of Nation Branding
Consistency among political,
social and economic pillars.
It further helps create a
seamless connection between
the countrys marketing strategy
and experience and produces a
unifying platform that builds
synergy, allowing for cross-
promotion and public and
private sector alignment.
 The Road to Nation Branding
Key challenges
Find out how people really see the
country today.
Come up with a clear vision of how
people would need to see the country,
in order for them to start doing all of
these things.
Work out a democratic, effective and
accountable process for getting from
the current brand to the future one.
To talk about yourself is usually the
lease effective and most expensive.
Key challenges cont
A climate where innovation is prized and
practiced
More effective bidding for international
events
A healthier country of origin effect for
exporters of goods and services
A greater profile in the international media
Simpler accession into regional and global
bodies and associations
More productive cultural relations with
other countries and regions
 Most developing countries suffer
from an image problem.

Spain, after General Franco had a

similar task to perform.
More Challenges in Nation Branding
.

1.continent Branding effect.

The geographic location of a country sometimes

matters for nation branding. A relatively
prosperous African nation such as Botswana
ends up sharing the violence in Rwanda,
corruption in Nigeria or poverty in Ethiopia. Most
African countries suffer from this continent
branding effect.
More Challenges in Nation
Branding.
2.Terrorism and Nation Branding
The image of some countries seems
virtually immune to things that
happen to it, including wars, terror
activities or natural disasters.
Terrorist activities in certain
countries will have a very high
impact on the countrys image whilst
for certain other countries it will not.
 New York and Madrid are still ranked among the
top ten city brands in the overall nation branding
indices.
Many people in Holland believed that the
assassination of film maker Van Google and the
politician PIM Fortuy will destroy the image of
Holland.
Positive reputation outdoes negative events.
However, the positive image will not last forever
should negative events occur on a regular basis.
More Challenges in Nation Branding
3.Branding by External Agencies
A Reality to Face

Moodys
Standard & Poors
Fitch
More Challenges in Nation Branding

4.Dealing with Current Reputation

In most instances, the reputation

of a nation, rarely affects the
current reality of the place.
However, international reputation
can change to reflect clear
strategy, visible leadership and
proper coordination between the
government, private sectors and
the community.
 Abu Dhabi

India
 Branding A Country .
Many still think of branding as simply a logo
or a window-dressing which changes with
each advertising campaign.
Each country is unique.
Part of the skill of branding is in knowing
how to best identify a countrys specific
needs and how to craft an appropriate
strategy that responds to the challenge with
confidence.
 Key Challenges with the
Information Gap
The strategy should have:
Creativity (surprising, arresting, memorable)
Ownership (uniqueness)
Striking (high focus, non-generic, should tell a
very specific story about the place)
Motivating
Relevant
Elemental
 Actions speak louder than words.
Dont speak until you have something to say.

Marketing communication such as PR or

advertising should take place where there is
good reason, like a good product or a good
innovation.

People are the brand - the brand reflects

the genius of the people.
New interesting things
are the only things that
get adequately reported
in the media
old uninteresting things are
very boring
new uninteresting things
are fairly boring
old interesting things are
fairly interesting
new interesting things are
very interesting
 Implementing the Nation Branding Exercise

Key steps in Nation Branding

Determining who is responsible for managing and maintaining a country
brand
Fixing a declining image that affects visits.
Responding to increased competition from neighbouring or emerging
markets.
Establishing the degree of linkage between country/ region or city
brands.
Creating or enforcing marketing guidelines for government and private
agencies.
Assessing market plans to determine if media sponsorships are being
strategically considered.
Launching an internal branding programe to ensure that citizens are
ambassadors of the brand.
Linking multiple government organizations under one marketing umbrella
to create synergy and cross-sell.
Branding a nation is a painful state
exercise that takes time, commitment
and focus. Nation branding is not only a
creative expression but is also a promise
of value. It must demonstrate a countrys
business goals, economic objectives and
long term development.
 How Do You Build A National Brand Strategy?
The reputation of a country can only be effected
by the things they do, not by the things they say.
Planning
Implementing the right policy
Right innovations
Making the right investments
Sanctioning coalition between all sectors of
government/ business and society
 Believing in the countrys potential.
Institutionalization to ensure longevity
- e.g. brand Ghana/ brand Dubai

- Why does India draw 5.5 million tourists and

China 50 million?
03 Important Ingredients for Nation
Branding
Strategy
Substance
Symbolic Action
Finally, there should be a
constant, unbroken stream of dramatic
evidence in the country
END