Africa, Asia and Middle East Experiencing High Growth for Travel & Tourism Demand, While Specialized Travel Increases with Growth in Women-Only Tours, Multi-generational and Religious Tourism
LONDON, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Australia earns the coveted spot as the world's top country brand for the third consecutive year, according to the 2008 Country Brand Index (CBI) which will be officially released Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008 at London's World Travel Market, the premier annual exhibition of the global travel trade. Rising from its sixth place ranking last year, Canada is recognized second and the United States rounds out the top three country brands in the 2008 study. Other countries making the top 10 include Italy, Switzerland and France. The CBI examines how countries are branded and ranked according to key criteria, and identifies emerging global trends in the world's fastest growing economic sector - travel and tourism, which accounts for US$5.9 trillion of economic activity worldwide this year and more than 238 million jobs.
2008 CBI Top Country Brands
1. Australia 6. France
2. Canada 7. New Zealand
3. United States 8. United Kingdom
4. Italy 9. Japan
5. Switzerland 10. Sweden
CBI, now in its fourth year, is a comprehensive study of approximately 2,700 international business and leisure travelers from nine countries conducted by FutureBrand, a leading global brand consultancy, in conjunction with public relations firm Weber Shandwick's Global Travel & Lifestyle Practice. This year's index includes rankings and trends as well as travel motivations, challenges and opportunities within the worlds of travel, tourism and country branding (visit http://www.countrybrandindex.com for complete results).
Rising Stars
The CBI also identified China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Croatia, respectively, as the top three "rising stars" - those likely to become major tourist destinations in the next five years. Also making the list this year are Vietnam, India and Cuba. In addition, this year's CBI includes an in-depth report of how China fares post-Beijing Olympics.
"In this our fourth year, it is exciting to see many countries embracing the idea of brand. However, we still feel this is a largely underdeveloped category with most countries continuing to promote and market themselves in ways that are not differentiated. Particularly in the coming years, country brands must improve both their strategic orientation as well as their delivery," said Rina Plapler, senior executive director, FutureBrand.
This year's CBI touches on a variety of topics relevant to travelers and tourism professionals including: intergenerational travel (represented by countries such as the U.S., Canada and Japan), medical tourism, mainstream luxury (represented by countries like Japan and Spain), 'stay'cations and a rise in the off-the-beaten-track trips. Other notable trends this year focus on niche travel opportunities and the changing destination landscape.
"With the current state of the world -- economic turmoil, political unrest and global warming -- it's always fascinating to see which countries come out on top in branding themselves, generating global recognition and fueling the travel and tourism industry," said Rene A. Mack, president, Weber Shandwick's Travel & Lifestyle Global Practice.
The following are key highlights from this year's Country Brand Index including six new brand categories denoted with an asterisk. The top five countries are listed in rank order for each category:
2008 Country Brand Index Ranking Highlights
Best Country Brand United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France,
Ideal for Business Italy
Best Country Brand to
Extend a Business Trip Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Japan, Ireland
Best Country Brand for
Art & Culture Italy, France, Egypt, Japan, Greece
Best Country Brand for
Authenticity New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, India, Egypt
Best Country Brand for Maldives, Tahiti, Bahamas, Dominican Republic,
Beach Australia
Best Country Brand for
Families Canada, Spain, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand
Best Country Brand for
History Egypt, Italy, France, Greece, Israel
Best Country Brand for
Resort & Lodging Australia, Switzerland
Options United Arab Emirates, United States, Maldives,
Best Country Brand for New Zealand, Maldives, Switzerland, Norway,
Natural Beauty Australia
Best Country Brand for
Nightlife Japan, Brazil, Spain, Thailand, United States
Best Country Brand for
Fine Dining Italy, France, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland
Best Country Brand for
Outdoor Activities & Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Belize,
Sports Switzerland
Best Country Brand for
Rest & Relaxation Maldives, Tahiti, New Zealand, Fiji, Bahamas
Best Country Brand for Norway, Switzerland, New Zealand, Sweden,
Safety Denmark
Best Country Brand for United States, United Arab Emirates, Singapore,
Shopping Thailand, Japan
Best Country Brand for
Value for Money Thailand, India, Mexico, Czech Republic, Poland
Best Country Brand You
Would Most Like to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Switzerland,
Live In Scotland
*Best Country Brand for
Ease of Travel Netherlands, Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Germany
*Best Country Brand for
Standard of Living Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Australia, Switzerland
*Best Country Brand for Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark,
Political Freedom Norway
*Best Country Brand for Japan, United States, United Kingdom, Sweden,
Advanced Technology Germany
*Best Country Brand
for Quality Products Japan, United States, Germany, France, Italy
*Best Country Brand for
Most Impressive Last China, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New
Year Zealand, Japan
The 2008 Country Brand Index reports a number of emerging trends in travel and tourism that include:
-- Changing Landscape - Within the industry, there has been a significant
shift in the countries that are experiencing real tourism growth.
Traditional tourism "hotspots" are being overshadowed by
rising star destinations. In terms of regional performance, Africa, Asia
Pacific and the Middle East are experiencing higher growth rates than
the average world demand. Chief among the changing landscape, citizens
are becoming more outspoken about the brands their countries are
aligning with to propel tourism, from branding efforts to logos to key
messaging. The desire of many travelers to seek authentic vacation
experiences has led to a rise in poverty travel - visiting
poverty-stricken and/or polluted places and communities that showcase a
reality otherwise unseen on an upscale or exotic expedition.
-- Specialized Travel on the Rise - Rapid growth in formerly niche travel
and tourism markets continues to be a trend within the industry,
including:
-- Rise of Women - Women are traveling more frequently without
men, and women-only tours and retreats are becoming
increasingly popular. Women comprise over half of adventure
travelers worldwide.
-- Grandchild on Board - Affluent retirees in the U.S., Canada
and Japan are traveling more and more. Half of vacationing
baby boomers are now traveling with their grandchildren,
indicating a new segment of multi-generational travel.
-- Finite Travel - There is a rise in people visiting places
and/or species that are seen as endangered or in some form of
time-related environmental risk. From polar bear and harp
seal excursions to rain forest expeditions, many travelers
are making it a priority to visit these places before they
are irrevocably altered.
-- Spontaneous Travel - The biological imperative to escape will
never go away, however, high pressured lifestyles and
advances in online travel have resulted in consumers taking
shorter trips each year, often booked last minute.
-- Religious Tourism - The concept of religious sites and
pilgrimages is again becoming increasingly popular among
travelers. For instance, the Vatican launched the world's
first airline for Catholic pilgrims. Specialized religious
tours are catering to orthodox believers.
-- Luxury Flying Upgrades - Responding to need, many airlines have
developed greater flight options and service classes to cater to the
lucrative luxury travel market. These include First and Business Class
only airport terminals, as well as new and improved upper class sections
in airplanes introduced by leading carriers such as Singapore Airlines
and Emirates Airlines. Additionally, there are a variety of new
alternatives to conventional air travel that provide greater flexibility
to the luxury traveler. Chief among them is the increased availability
of regional jets and air taxis. Airports are upgrading at a faster
rate, with technological advances such as Radio Frequency Identity
(RFID), smart ID cards and self-check-in playing a greater role in the
airport experience. The check-in process is also continuing to evolve,
as airlines like Air Canada continue to develop bar code technology to
allow passengers to board solely with their cell phones (without a
printed e-ticket).
Study Methodology
FutureBrand has developed a three-tiered evaluation system for ranking country brands. This Index incorporates global quantitative research, expert opinions, and references relevant statistics that link brand equity to assets, growth and expansion. The result is a unique evaluation system that provides the basis of our rankings. Almost 2,700 respondents from nine countries including the US, UK, China, Australia, Japan, Brazil, UAE, Germany and Russia participated in a travel survey. Participants were screened to include frequent international travelers (who travel internationally more than once a year) between the ages of 21 and 65, with a balanced split between men and women. Business and leisure travelers were both included. Respondents answered questions about behavior around destination selection; country associations with particular attributes; and overall awareness/familiarity, past visits, intent to visit, and willingness to recommend destinations to others. Survey results were aggregated and weighted in proportion to their regions' respective volume of travel consumption. This was done in order to minimize potential bias around preferred locations from respondents from regions that may have been over-represented in the sample. Performance on attributes by country was then considered against expert opinions and secondary statistics in order to generate the country rankings.
About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in over 79 markets around the world. The firm's reputation is built on its deep commitment to client service, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates - engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across world-class practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, corporate/financial and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. Weber Shandwick received the highest client-satisfaction honors in the 2007 Agency Excellence Survey by PRWeek U.S. and in 2008, was named Large PR Firm of the Year (PR News U.S.), European Consultancy of the Year (The Holmes Report) and Network of the Year (Asia Pacific PR Awards). The firm also won the United Nations Grand Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Relations for the past three years. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit www.webershandwick.com.
About FutureBrand
FutureBrand part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE: IPG), is a leading brand consultancy within IPG that commands a global presence spanning 20 offices in 16 countries. Partnering with the world's leading companies, FutureBrand helps its clients to develop profitable brands both today and into the future. Offering a full range of services from consumer branding and corporate identity, to brand identity, packaging design and beyond, FutureBrand works with clients to measure and increase brand value, define breakthrough brand strategies and create powerful brand experiences. Clients include ArcelorMittal, P&G, Microsoft, Nakheel, Intel, Barclays Premier, Nokia, Nestle, MasterCard, UPS, and Unilever. For more information visit www.futurebrand.com.
SOURCE Weber Shandwick and FutureBrand
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