Destination branding identity from the stakeholders perspective

Abstract

It was debated that in order to establish strong destination branding, understanding the process of image perceived by demand-side and projection by the supply-side is crucial in positioning the destination and to be competitive. Image makingand the creation of brand identity is claim as the important destination branding components that emerge from various involvement and participation in branding process. Arguably, a brand identity for a destination that makes up the brand often is captured from the user point of view, namely the visitor or tourist. However, little was understood as to how the image making and later the branding of destination are projected by the stakeholders and their influence in doing so. This include a collective view of stakeholders such as host community and business operators in determining the projection of image in terms of existing values of social, cultural, historic and geographic.In this context, brand identity through projection of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) (including host community and business operators), significantly contribute towards existing image. In other words, they are forcing a creation of branding using the vision of how a brand should be perceived by its target market and segmentation.The question that may rise is how this branding process truly acting as a catalyst of a creation towards desirable destination. Drawing on a previous literature of destination brand and destination image, this paper address thefollowing issues; (1) Stakeholders’ involvement particularly local community in tourism development and planning received significant attention butless mentioned in destination branding, even though the roles of stakeholders are very important in communicating the brand message and projecting positive images to the visitors, (2) previous studies in destination branding indicate that less empirical data to support the important of destination identity for branding strategy and therefore there is need for further studies; (3) the relationships between destination identity and destination brand as well as destination image are still unclear and there is confusion among the experts.This paper also highlights the existing gapsin understanding destination identity from the stakeholders’ perspectives to the branding strategy and it suggests future studies to be undertaken.