Small City Branding Around the World

New Book: Destination Branding for Small Cities – Second Edition, Now Released

I am pleased to announce that my second book, Destination Branding for Small Cities - Second Edition has now been released. This expanded and revised edition has updated our 7A Destination Branding Process and includes new place branding elements, advice, checklists and techniques. Some of the changes include:

• Explanations of the different forms of place branding, branding in tough times, selecting place branding expertise and the important role of product development, placemaking and wayfinding in place branding.  
• Actions to introduce a stronger strategic focus to enhance city competitiveness.
• Interesting insights from some of the world’s leading place branding consultants, academics and practitioners.
• Worldwide examples from the USA, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Australia, moving beyond the USA focus of the first.

While the title is Destination Branding for Small Cities, the underlying principles and processes can just as readily be applied to regions, counties, Downtowns, Main Streets, resorts, and even states and countries.

I hope that you enjoy this edition as much as the first. Worldwide sales are available through Amazon.com.

Why Quality of Place Matters to City Competitiveness and Sustainability

DMOs and other tourism organizations often become so consumed by their sales function that they don’t exert any influence on their community’s quality of place.  There are many places where the DMO and tourism folk don’t even have a seat at the table to discuss matters relating to the city’s quality of place and its impact on visitors – and dare I say its image and identity.

An Urban Times article by Saffron Woodcraft suggests that a city’s quality of place involves both the built and social environments.

Woodcraft argues, “Debates about urban sustainability tend to focus on improving the built environment - making it greener, more efficient, less energy intensive. However, as both urban populations and the challenges of making livable cities grow, a radical shift is needed.  Much more emphasis needs to be placed on understanding the social life of cities - how government, public agencies and urban planners can design spaces, but more importantly, services to help neighborhoods flourish socially.”

I would suggest that there is also another layer that involves visitors to the community and whether the attractors, amenities and services designed for them provide a net benefit to residents.

My friend Reyn Bowman touched on this in an interesting blog post last week where he traced the links between billboards, beautification movements and the emergence of tourism marketing organizations. Reyn said, “It is puzzling to me why so many community-destination marketing execs today seem so detached from their role as guardians and curators of sense of place.”

We hear a lot about the role of DMOs being redefined. I feel that when that clarity comes, many DMOs will have a more active role in the development and management of the city’s quality of place. After all, isn’t that an integral part of the essence of many places? It’s in the public domain, isn’t owned by any one company and it’s essential for competitiveness. When a city has a strong quality of place, it brings greater efficiencies to the DMO’s marketing functions and increased satisfaction for visitors – and residents. 

Indigenous Tourism Brings the Challenge to Do the Right Thing

I recently came across an article by Anita Mendiratta in eTurbo News in which she outlined the importance and influence of indigenous people in tourism development. Importantly, Anita provided great advice for tourism organizations wanting to integrate indigenous people into their destination development. She highlighted how they are the truest guardians of the history, folklore, traditions, arts, culture, natural environments, ideology, spirituality and sensibilities.

Anita said, “Worldwide, indigenous peoples are 370 million strong – almost 5% of the world’s population. Living in over 70 countries across the globe, they cover over 20% of the surface of the Earth. They reach across over 5000 different groups of peoples, and speak approximately 4000 different languages. This global community, which embraces peoples from the Aboriginals to the Zulu, the Masai, the Mayan, the Mohican, and the Maori, the Bedouin, the Bushmen, and thousands of other communities – are the heartbeat of a nation. And for the global tourism community committed to the growth and development of nations, they are invaluable. In so many ways, it is the indigenous community that has become the litmus test of the industry’s ability to ‘keep it real’.”

Around the world there are both positive and negative examples of indigenous people in tourism. The article identifies critical issues and suggests approaches to ensure that participants are treated with dignity and the experiences that showcase traditional art, dance, music, cuisine, language, storytelling, and other features of the lives of indigenous people are grounded in authenticity, with objectives for the long term sustainability of the culture. Sadly, these are not always at play.

Night Economies: What’s The World’s #1 24-Hour City?

I always thought that because Frank Sinatra sang, “I want to wake up in a city that doesn’t sleep”, it inferred that New York City was the #1 place for night owls. Well it seems that New York is well down the list in a study of the world’s 24-hour cities by Marion Roberts, a professor of urban design at London’s University of Westminster and author of Planning the Night-time City. 

The BBC reports that Cairo was ranked the “most 24-hour” city of all. Next came Montevideo, Beirut, six Spanish cities (Malaga, Zaragoza, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville) and Buenos Aires. London was ranked 17th, Paris 18th and New York 32nd.

Roberts identifies many of the benefits and challenges of managing the night economy of cities. She says, “In the UK, Europe and Australia, a lot of their ‘24-hourness’ has been about extending entertainment and this has disadvantages for city center dwellers unless carefully managed. However, it does generate more jobs, activities and social solidarities.” This is a subject that cities worldwide will increasingly have to address.

Cairo might be the #1 night-time city, and it’s a great place, but I can’t imagine Frank Sinatra belting out, “Cairo – the city that never sleeps!”

Repositioning of Britain’s Industrial Cities Pays Off

It wasn’t so long ago that many of Britain’s industrial cities initiated aggressive tourism strategies and commenced city-wide efforts to reposition themselves as cultural and sporting centers. It seems that these investments have been paying off with the largest of the industrial cities establishing themselves as the UK’s most popular tourist destinations in the 2011 international visitors survey by Visit Britain.

BTN reports that while London and Edinburgh continue to maintain their traditional supremacy as the two most popular urban destinations in the UK, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and now Bristol are emerging as rival attractions.

But Manchester, with its two competing global football teams, its ultra-modern new landmark buildings such as the Lowry Centre, a new state of the art BBC media center (open to tourists) and world-class shopping is firmly in third place with 936,000 visits (up 15 per cent on 2010). Birmingham sits neatly in the fourth spot with 732,000 visitors attracted by its outstanding arts, exhibitions and one of the largest shopping centers in the UK, the Bullring, host to the best designer labels as well as accommodating 25 restaurants.

This success did not happen overnight. It has taken unwavering commitment to their visions, strong strategic foundations, sustained investments by successive governments, partnerships with private investors, and a belief by everyone that they could successfully turn the page on their industrial past.

Why Venice is one of the World’s Most Fascinating Tourism Destinations

 

Give yourself a well-deserved three minute break to watch this great video of a Day in Venice. You will see why Venice is one of the most fascinating, romantic and spectacular cities in the world. Being in Venice is like being in a 360° theater production and this video catches much of that.

Take a break. You deserve it!

Will the Hobbits be the Biggest Boost Yet For New Zealand’s Brand Awareness?

The Sydney Herald reports that Tourism New Zealand has announced the national tourism organization is very close to signing a deal with the makers of The Hobbit movies to promote the country as a tourism destination.

Released between 2001 and 2003, the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings was credited with boosting tourism to its New Zealand locations, where visitor numbers rose by 40 per cent. Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler said, "I think The Hobbit is going to be that and more. We learned a lot of lessons from Lord of the Rings and we are doing everything we did back then plus some more."

The two movies by Sir Peter Jackson are expected to be a bigger boost for the country’s tourism than the three Lord of the Rings films. The first of the Hobbit movies is due for release in December.

The Lord of the Rings gave New Zealand an incredible boost and is a hard act to follow. It’s hard to believe that the Hobbit movies will top that. But then I haven’t seen the movie!

You can watch the trailer here.

Consumer Behavior: Spenders (and Travelers) by Nature

Tourism arrivals for most destinations are holding up well, despite the continuing economic problems. This is particularly the case in the USA. Although I do appreciate that this is not the case for many Mediterranean destinations because they are contending with issues other than economic.  A great blog last week on Branding Strategy Insider by J. Walker Smith, Executive Chairman, at The Futures Company pointed out “consumers want to believe (in shopping) again. So help them.”

He went on to state, “People are tired of doing without. The term being bandied about right now by market observers is “frugality fatigue,” meaning the pent-up desire among hard-pressed, anxious consumers to pick up their buying. Obviously, some consumers remain too distressed for their spending to rebound. But most people feel hopeful about renewing their engagement with shopping.”

He correctly points out, “It is important for brand marketers to get this right. If the presumption is that a new normal of frugality has set in, then marketers will miss the opportunity to build their own momentum to recovery. Glass-half-empty rhetoric will continue to color the tonality of marketing messages when consumers are ready, instead, to hear something that speaks to them in the language of a glass half-full.”

The  post is well worth a read. I see a direct link to the psychology of spending on vacations and getaways. The concept of vacations and escape in today’s high stress, hard work society is that they have become essentials and people adjust their plans to suit their budget. While “frugality fatigue” might be at play for the retail sector, it also highlights that the need for escape has never been more acute as a motivator for travel and tourism destinations.

Are London Games Logo and Mascots The Worst Ever?

It didn’t take this article in The Atlantic Cities to cause me to wonder if the London Olympic logo and mascots are the worst in Olympic history. From the time the logo was launched in 2005 I saw that we would be in for an interesting ride with other designs to follow. Olympic logos need to be quirky and not predictable and they should cause people to think differently about the host city and nation.

While the London Games are winning kudos for its organization, the logo and mascots have drawn ridicule over the past two years.

I agree that the logo looks like it was dropped on the floor and I think the mascots look like rejects from a kids television show.

 What do you think?

Nice Job America!

 

How do you create the first brand advertising campaign for a country that has around 100% brand recognition and abundant national icons that are known globally? Oh, and it has fifty states that compete with each other and it’s not exactly popular in many places around the world. That was the task for Brand USA.

I think they have done a great job in the first of the television ads created for a global launch featuring the song “Land of Dreams” written and performed by Rosanne Cash, daughter of Johnny Cash and June Carter. What I like is that the ad projects experiential themes, is multicultural, has great music and doesn’t dwell on any of the icons or self-serving themes that national branding efforts sometimes fall into.

Brand USA, the public/private entity charged with increasing America’s share of international visitors, will invest $12.3 million in TV, the Internet, billboards, print advertising and social media beginning May 1 in the U.K., Canada and Japan. A second wave will include Brazil and South Korea, with several other markets to follow.

I look forward to the next installment.

Is it Possible to Successfully Rebrand or Reposition Nigeria?

Several prominent Nigerians are fueling a debate regarding the need for Nigeria to address its negative international image which is negatively impacting all regions of the country and every aspect of the economy.  They spoke at a recent event for the launch of a book by Chief Austin Nonyelim Izagbo, “Re-branding Nigeria: Leadership and the National Image Project”.

Interestingly, they suggested tackling graft, providing social amenities, increasing security, poor management of resources and improving the standard of living of citizens.

It was refreshing to see the brutal honesty of some of the officials. According to Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who said “Leaders are often misadvised and misdirected because 99 per cent of those who approach them are sycophants, who rarely tell them the truth.” Wow! One of the essentials for successful place brands is that they must be founded on truth and devoid of self-delusion. It is truth telling like this that must be followed, otherwise Nigeria will make zero progress in addressing its image problems.

It will be very interesting to see whether they will be able to introduce the changes to cultural behavior, resource allocations and political priorities necessary to truly rebrand Nigeria.

India’s Brand Awareness Increases Need for Rural Tourism Development

The Incredible India marketing campaign launched in 2002 has increased brand awareness for India as a global destination. Despite its outstanding cultural and natural tourism assets, its development in rural areas has been patchy because of shortfalls in infrastructure and service standards. Major steps are underway to address these situations

The 2022-12 Annual Report of the Indian Ministry of Tourism reports that the Ministry has approved 160 tourism projects worth approximately $160 million, mainly in rural areas. The Ministry has given special focus to the development of important destinations and circuit routes through approval of fifty-three mega projects. Mega projects are a mix of cultural, heritage, spiritual and eco-tourism attractions. Priority is also being given to projects involving construction and upkeep of wayside amenities along highways/roads leading to tourist destinations, cleanliness at tourism sites and development of tourism in rural areas.

A study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Yes Bank identifies the positive influence that the “Incredible India” marketing campaign has had on rural areas. It recommends that there should be increased focus on capacity building in regard to human resources in key rural areas. It suggests programs to address service-oriented needs, citing this as a major reason why Indian tourism falters in some regional areas. It also highlights the need to train entrepreneurs. "Rural entrepreneurs, in recent times, have proved to be the success story of the emerging Indian economy, and provided that a clear direction is given, they can very well champion the cause of sustainable tourism models." The study also recommends conserving tradition and values, besides ensuring infrastructure development.

Several decades ago, China was referred to as “the sleeping giant”. Considering the vast tourism appeal of India I think that in tourism terms, the title aptly applies to India, and particularly many of its rural areas.

Homer Finally Comes Home to the Right Springfield

Many cities lean on some of their famous sons and daughters to influence their brand identity and tourism marketing. For some it is very straight forward, Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico IL, Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg and William Shakespeare was from Stratford-upon-Avon.  But the home of an arguably even greater celebrity, Homer Simpsons, has been a mystery until now. Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons has finally confessed in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine what most of us in Oregon knew all along …… that Springfield, OR is the famous Springfield in the longest running series in U.S. television history.

There are 58 Springfields in the U.S.A. making it one of the most common city names in the country. Groening said he has long given fake answers when asked about the Simpsons' hometown, leaving open the possibility that his latest one is itself another fake.  

In 2010 we completed a Visitor Readiness Report for Springfield OR and one of the recommendations was to work with Groening on developing The Simpsons related experiences in the city. Dan Egan at the Springfield Chamber of Commerce tells me that since Groening’s announcement the phone calls and emails from around the world have been non-stop. Well Dan, you’d better get working on that new wing of the Springfield Museum to be dedicated to the city’s most famous “residents”.

In reaction to the announcement, Homer Simpson offered several Tweets, including, "Now that Bart knows we live in the Beaver State, all he says is dam dam dam!" and "Crap, we live in Oregon? I mean, Go Ducks!" (For non-Oregonians, the Ducks is a reference to the University of Oregon sports program.)

Colorado Invites Audiences to “Come to Life”

 

Colorado Tourism Office is taking an interesting approach in its forthcoming television advertising campaign aimed at boosting summer visitation. Instead of focusing on its geographic and iconic features alone, the advertising features the transformative qualities of the state with an invitation to Come to Life. The focus is squarely on the prospective visitor and the emotional rewards of spending time in the outdoors away from their everyday hectic lives. Actually, Colorado is not identified until the end of the 57^th second of the ad.

The emotive film shows how viewers can come to life in lakes, cascading waterfalls and open fields, and prods them to rejuvenate by exploring spectacular mountains.

The campaign is supported by print advertising, a visitor guide and web and social media marketing programs providing critical links to towns and operators throughout the state. It will be interesting to review the results of the advertising and how it translates to increased Summer business for the state’s towns and tourism businesses.

Xiamen Slogan Competition to Create a Brand Without Research or Strategy

Xiamen also known as Amoy is a major city on the south east coast of the People’s Republic of China and is known for its scenic beauty and tree lined beaches.  

The Xiamen Tourism Bureau is calling for public suggestions for a new tourism slogan, logo and souvenir to represent the city.  The Bureau has established a web site for the competition which closes on April 30. The winners will be announced after public online voting and expert review, seemingly in that order.  Winners will receive approximately $US 3,200 each.

Unfortunately this is another example of a DMO attempting to take a shortcut to acquire some of the key elements for shaping their city’s brand identity.  Not only is it a mistake to run a competition to obtain logo and slogan suggestions, but to then turn it over to residents to make the choice further compounds the problems of this strategy-less and research-less approach. The Xiamen Tourism Bureau will be left to then shape their brand strategy around their new logo and tagline, rather than have those elements emerge from a well-researched strategy that is based on their most competitive positioning, personality and benefits.

Xiamen could be well advised to take a page from the research and strategically focused branding approach of nearby Shaoxing which I blogged about several weeks ago.

Australia Re-positions for Education Markets

While there may be strong reasons for nations and cities to create an overarching brand that will embrace tourism, investment and education, it’s not always possible to define a single brand platform that will be sufficiently potent to meet the diverse needs of their target audiences. It can be done, but one always needs to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach which is based on a series of compromises and moves the focus off customer hot buttons and onto points of commonality that are not distinctive, meaningful or compelling to those audiences. In some cases politics and turf protection can work against efforts to develop a competitive and viable brand strategy for each part of the nation or city’s marketing portfolio.

The challenge of establishing a national brand that will resonate with target audiences comprising visitors, students, investors and new residents is highlighted in an article by Stephen Matchett in The Australian.  He outlines how Austrade, the organization responsible for the marketing of Australia as an international study destination has launched a new campaign Future Unlimited. This campaign involves the repositioning of Australia for the international education markets and downplays the lifestyle and tourism strengths of the country that have been at the heart of the nation’s brand strategy. Instead the new focus will be on the quality of the educational institutions and the programs being offered.

Austrade executive Quentin Stevenson-Perks told The Australian, “People looking at investing time and money in education don’t want to come and look at kangaroos. They want a qualification recognized by governments and employers. Future Unlimited is much more than destination marketing.”

Newcastle, Australia Rebrands With Comprehensive Brand Strategy

Last week I had the opportunity to meet with Simon McArthur, the Tourism and Economic Development Manager for Newcastle City Council, Australia. I wanted to gain some insights into how their work for the Brand Newcastle project is coming along.

An aspect that caught my attention was their product development focus to ensure that the city delivers on its brand promise. Central to this is attracting and reinvigorating events (many associated with the beach and sports), the opening of the Newcastle Museum, the development of innovative harbor tours, and City Evolutions which will feature digital projections on buildings and lit moving sculptures that interpret some of the key stories that formed and rebuilt the city. The next phase is likely to feature a function center overlooking the beach, a coastal spa, regional convention and exhibition center, new hotels and expansions to Newcastle Airport. Another interesting feature is the plan to rebrand several of the city's key suburbs and visitor precincts such as Hamilton and Downtown Newcastle.

“This rebranding will enable us to consistently promote a more contemporary view of the city - a genuine, ever-changing, vibrant and energetic place that is home to hardworking people and world-class industries,” Simon McArthur said.

Newcastle is attempting to shed its long established ‘Steel City’ image with a comprehensive rebranding program.  This includes a new logo and tagline (See Change) as well as increased promotions through tourism websites, brochures and signage. The city has also installed sixteen visitor information kiosks throughout the city, in lieu of operating a traditional tourist information center.

Urban Branding: The Evolution of Kansas City’s Graphic Identity

We have all heard the line that we “stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.” Sharon Gochenour writing in ThisBigCity offers the perspective that the generations of graphic designs and signage on the streets and buildings of Kansas City combine to capture the authenticity and ethos of the place. They also have a strong influence on the city’s contemporary look.

She sees Kansas City as not only a modern, high tech city, but being the product of an industrial boom in manufacturing, warehousing, rail traffic, and stockyards in the early part of the 20th century. Accompanying these activities was the accumulation of generations of signage, billboard ads and graphic designs, many of which are still evident.  Gochenour explains that by walking through many of Kansas City’s streets and districts you can discover what the city has been and how the layers of graphic imagery accumulated over the past century differ from the modern marketing of the city seen in websites and brochures, but are evidence of what makes Kansas City, Kansas City.

Gochenour advocates, “A city’s image is not only formed by what it is but all the things it has been. Perhaps the next step in city branding is to generate virtual spaces through the accumulation of images from various sources on all levels of city development - planners, artists, officials, individual city dwellers. These images could be presented on a platform that allows visitors to arrange each of these layers of meaning, generating new designs and new understandings.” 

Thailand Brands Second-Tier Provinces

The Nation (Thailand) reports that Thailand has commenced a very interesting tourism development and place branding program. The Tourism Council of Thailand and the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion are collaborating to promote the country’s second-tier provinces by dividing them into clusters and creating brand identities for each regional group. Their objective is to strengthen provincial tourism, which is comprised mainly of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The plan recommends forming nine clusters, covering 52 provinces. They are Central region, west coast, east coast, Andaman in the South region, Gulf of Thailand in the South region, upper North region, lower North region, upper Northeast region, and lower Northeast region.

The challenge for them is to ensure that these destination branding strategies are not predominantly top-down. Their long term sustainability is going to be determined by how each brand is understood, supported and used as the catalysts for tourism development at a grassroots level. For too many state and federally mandated brands around the world soon run out of steam if they are not developed in a consultative and collaborative way with locals.

Atlantic City NJ Masterplan to Reinvent the Tourism District

Few destinations have attempted to reinvent themselves on the scale that is being undertaken in Atlantic City NJ. This internationally renowned for gambling, conventions and leisurely strolls on its boardwalk.  But the destination has languished for decades.

Atlantic City’s Casino Reinvestment Development Authority recently released a 300-page masterplan that spells out redevelopment options for the city’s Tourism District - a 1,700-acre area encompassing the casinos, the boardwalk, and shopping and dining districts. State Governor Christie is giving the district five years to gain traction before reconsidering whether to expand casino gambling to the Meadowlands and other parts of New Jersey.

The plan contains short, medium, and long-term goals. Among the short-term is to introduce new attractions along the 2 ½ mile Boardwalk. The designers envision up to 10 "innovation pavilions”, sponsored by private companies, having entertainment and educational components.

The city has had five or six master plans since gambling was legalized in 1976, and most of those recommendations were never implemented. Some people are concerned that this plan may suffer a similar fate if there isn’t sufficient investment in the area’s basic infrastructure, let alone the multi-billion dollar casino and resort investments.

“If you make Atlantic City attractive, people will definitely come”, said Jack Plackter, a real estate lawyer with Fox Rothschild in Atlantic City.  “Atlantic City is only 48 blocks long. You can fix this place one block at a time," Plackter said. "The issue is can it be done quickly enough. We don't have a huge window. We don't have 20 years."

This will be a fascinating case study over the coming years.

Disney/Pixar in Cooperative Marketing Link with VisitScotland

A global marketing campaign promoting Scottish tourism will be based around the launch of Disney/Pixar's forthcoming animated film, Brave to be released in August.  The film is set in the Scottish Highlands and features the voices of Scottish personalities Billy Connolly and Craig Ferguson. VisitScotland will invest £7m in the campaign which will be its biggest yet, and the first time that Disney has linked up with a country's tourism organization on such a large scale.

VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay told the BBC,"This is an incredible opportunity to extend the reach of VisitScotland's marketing activity across the world. This film will be shown in more than 70 countries and will give us the opportunity to convert cinema goers into visitors in the biggest campaign VisitScotland has ever launched.”

While many destinations have benefited from being the setting for movies, the majority of places leave it to the movie alone to convey the attractiveness of it as a tourism destination. Another option is to leverage the short-lived opportunity presented by the publicity for the initial cinema and video releases of the movie. One of the best examples of this integration that I have seen in recent years was the global integrated marketing campaign launched by Tourism Australia in conjunction with The Movie Australia.    VisitScotland would be well advised to take a leaf from Tourism Australia’s marketing plan. 

Why Every Destination Needs a Crisis Communications Plan

The tornados that ripped through several American states and devastating several communities is another warning that really bad things can happen unexpectedly to good places. The lesson is that all places need to have a crisis communications plan that is tightly integrated into the city’s crisis management plan. How well this is done can influence how quickly the place can recover from the crisis and reinstate the economic momentum of the city.

A case in point is Branson MO which was struck by a tornado last week that damaged about four dozen commercial structures including six of the town's 50 theaters and 22 of the 200 hotels and motels. This happened right at the start of Branson’s busy tourist season. Fortunately, Branson CVB and the local tourism industry seem to be responding fast in an effort to minimize the tourism impacts of the tornado.

My colleague Peggy Bendel, author of the forthcoming book “It's a Crisis! NOW What?" observes, “At a time like this, having a crisis communications plan in place helps destination marketers move swiftly to gather accurate information, and get the word out to their various publics: visitors, staff, marketing partners and the media. Branson's doing a great job: their home page at ExploreBranson.com retains its brand imagery, and highlights special events, while featuring a half-page with links to current details about the February 29^th storm. Many destinations might be tempted to ignore the "bad news" and keep their site as is, but with a national story such as a damaging tornado, that simply makes you appear clueless and guarantees people will go elsewhere for credible information.”

 

Simply because you have completed a brand strategy and marketing plan does not mean that you have secured the best possible future for your destination. You also need a constantly updated crisis communications strategy, because bad things do happen to good places!

An Irish Boost for a Visitor Information Center

At a time when destination management organizations (DMO) worldwide are evaluating the role of their visitor information centers (VIC), I was surprised to see in the Irish Examiner that a VIC in Ireland is looking to double its visitation. 

It seems that the The Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre in Tullamore is to be redeveloped with the aim of doubling its annual visitor numbers to 40,000. I then discovered that it was to be developed in a once bonded warehouse for Tullamore Dew whiskey. Tullamore Dew is currently the second largest Irish whiskey brand in the world, selling more than 8.5m bottles annually.

Visitor information centers work best when they are located in precincts that directly link them to the community’s key experiences. Could it be that their strategy to double visitor numbers is linked to free samples of Tullamore Dew?

New Destination Video Sings the Praises of Brand Vancouver

Tourism Vancouver’s new destination film takes an innovative approach in projecting the city’s brand messages using multiple platforms. Central to the film is the original music of local band Watasun and their song, “It’s You… Vancouver”.

Watasun is a Vancouver-based duo that fuses urban beats with traditional folk sounds. One-time buskers on Vancouver’s Granville Street, singer/songwriter Adam Bailie and percussionist Reid Hendry now record, produce and sell their own albums, taking inspiration from everyday experiences in the city.

Throughout the three-minute video, the duo perform their catchy tune while making appearances in, near or atop iconic Vancouver attractions. It’s nice to see a destination really trying to make all of its brand communications distinctive and authentic – and hopefully exposing a few locals to a larger audience.

Connecticut Develops a New Brand Strategy, Quickly

Connecticut is one of those states that people think they know, but have extreme difficulty in naming what to do there as a visitor. Beyond some brand associations such as financial and insurance companies, rich people and Yale University, not much comes to mind for many people. I have always seen it as a place with a fascinating history, idyllic small towns and certainly part of the New England experience.  It’s good to see that after several years of virtually no tourism marketing, the government is now investing in tourism again.

The Day.com reports that the first actions are establishing a brand strategy for the state and identify its strongest positioning. Randy Fiveash, director of the Connecticut Office of Tourism , said “The branding initiative, which normally would be an eight- to nine-month process, has been condensed to a three to four month period in order to hit the ground running with a state tourism campaign this Spring.”

It’s great to see the state recommence its tourism marketing programs by re-evaluating its brand positioning and platform. This is being done through local consultation and perceptions research in external markets. My concern is that three or four months is insufficient time to develop a genuine destination brand strategy for a place as complex as a state and will only result in little more than a tagline and theme for an advertising campaign created in a rush for a launch in the Spring. If so, let's hope they are looking to complete the strategy after the ads are released.

Who’s a Desirable Loiterer in Your Placemaking Plans?

An article by Emily Badger in The Atlantic Cities appealed to both my sense of humor and my eye for placemaking in downtown precincts. Badger points out, “(When) residents moved out of cities and stopped using their public spaces and streets, the only people still walking them were deemed riffraff: the homeless, jobless and, officials feared, gang members and prostitutes.” These are the loiterers who caused local authorities and urban planners to form all types of rules to protect the citizenry and the park benches.

Many cities now recognize that people lingering in downtown precincts are not necessarily loiterers, and are actually good for their economic and social well-being. I totally agree with Badger who goes on to state, “Lingering, on the other hand, is both a means to an end and a desirable end in itself. People who linger create vibrant public places and welcoming streetscapes. They also increase the safety of an area, with more eyes on the street. And leisurely foot traffic can lead to more street commerce, more connected communities, and spontaneous exchanges.”

When I lived in New York City, Bryant Park was near our office and was certainly not the place you would want to venture, even in daylight. It is now one of the best examples of a rejuvenated public space in the USA where people hangout day and night, i.e. linger. The successful cities will increasingly be those that recognize and cater to the differences between loiterers and lingerers.

“Until we change the vocabulary,” Dan Burden of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute says, “then we’ll (not see change). (When I see) the last loitering sign in America, I want to photograph it and say ‘this is it.’ Maybe the new signs will say ‘please linger.’”

Image - Bryant Park NYC - Baker

Branding a Fashion District for Durban, South Africa

Durban, South Africa is well known for its Indian culture and fabulous beaches, but it will soon have a dedicated fashion district.  Durban Daily News reports on an interesting economic development branding initiative where a specific city neighborhood will be nominated, and then boutiques, material suppliers, designers and pattern makers are invited to set up shop in the area. The long term objective is to develop a sub-brand for Durban as South Africa’s Fashion Capital, and then acceptance as a world class leader in fashion.

“We want it to house the entire fashion industry supply chain,” said Jasmine Sultan, the program director of the KZN Fashion Council. “After many years of talking, it is now time for action. The next step is for the city’s urban design department to see how to design and brand the fashion district. We want to position Durban as a fashion destination, and the district will eventually be marketed as a tourist route,” Sultan added.

South Africa has had great success in fostering collaborative partnerships to establish tourism and economic development initiatives. It’s going to be interesting to see whether they can successfully pull together all of the necessary stakeholders and achieve their lofty ambitions on the world’s fashion stage. I wish them well.

Image: Flights Australia

Why Are so Many Romantic Comedies Set in Cities?

I just came across a very insightful article in Atlantic Cities by Kaid Benfield, the director of the Sustainable Communities and Smart Growth program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Kaid answers one of the most provocative questions that is probably on your mind this Valentine’s Day: “Why are so many romantic comedies set in cities?”.

He refers readers to the criteria he set last year in a short essay entitled, "What Do the World's Most Romantic Cities Have in Common?" The criteria are:

• Strong sense of place anchored by historic preservation
• Lively, walkable, diverse downtowns
• Compact development patterns
• Extensive and well-used public transportation
• Great public spaces for lively human interaction
• Parks and quiet places mixed in with the urban setting
• Great traditional neighborhoods with a strong sense of community
• Welcoming to people of diverse cultures

He’s so right, and these are really characteristics that small cities should aspire to in their urban core as well. They also contribute toward places that are vibrant and great to hang  out, shop, dine, work, live and study – on the other 364 days beyond Valentine’s Day!

With Vanishing Storytellers Morocco Loses Part of Its National Identity

There are two elements of a place brand that can add greatly to its competitive edge and distinctiveness. These are authenticity and storytelling. Marrakech, Morocco is a place that instantly evokes exotic images for many people.

Morocco is one of the last places in the world where storytelling still exists as a public entertainment and adds to its exotic authenticity. But it is quickly dying out. Richard Hamilton is the author of The Last Storytellers: Tales from the Heart of Morocco and has an fascinating article in “New Africa Analysis” about the vanishing storytellers of Marrakech.

The storytellers have been part of an informal education system in the country where the illiteracy rate is forty percent. Oral tales were therefore the best way for people to understand the world. In the 1970s there were eighteen storytellers in Marrakech, now there are less than half a dozen and they are all old men, with no apprentices. The country’s young population is turning instead to television and the internet.

UNESCO did have plans to record the stories on its website. It was ironic that technology which had been the storytellers’ killer, could turn out to be their savior, but sadly this project has lost momentum. If these storytellers disappear Morocco will lose part of its national identity and Marrakech part of its authenticity. And since the stories have universal themes, they are the world’s inheritance and we will all be poorer with their passing.

Shaoxing, China’s Place Branding Pioneer

One of the great bonuses I am receiving while updating my book, Destination Branding for Small Cities, is seeing some of the fascinating brand strategies being developed for cities around the world. One that particularly caught my eye was the pioneering work by Alastair Morrison, CEO at Belle International Consulting in Beijing. Place branding is a relatively new practice for China and Alastair’s brand strategy was developed for the city of Shaoxing.

Shaoxing is an ancient water city with a rich 6,000 year history. Its brand positioning is based on it being a one-of-a-kind place because of its associations with the nation’s ancient and historical times, and its contributions toward various forms of artistic expression, including calligraphy, novels, and Yue opera. It is also famous for its distinctive yellow rice wine. The positioning is captured in the tagline, 'Vintage China'

What particularly attracted my attention was the range of fascinating brand experiences designed especially for the Shanghai expat market. Belle Tourism International Consulting designed and implemented an event titled, 25@100% Vintage Shaoxing Experiences. The experiences inside of this event were designed to immerse participants in the Shaoxing culture and the daily lifestyles of local people. The encounters included the opportunity to be an opera apprentice, cook at a popular restaurant, dream in an imaginary world at the former home of great writer Lu Xun, discover the secrets of tea therapy and glide along the centuries-old canals on a Chinese gondola.

The city has an amazing 6,000 year old cultural tapestry to work with and it will be fascinating to watch how the Shaoxing brand develops in coming years.

All That Glitters Isn’t Always Olympic Gold

One of the first things that I learned in researching tourism strategies in conjunction with the Sydney 2000 Olympics is that the world’s biggest sporting event is not necessarily a boon for all tourism operators or nearby destinations. In fact, it can be an extremely quiet period for them.

Firstly, the “Olympic family” fills many hotels before and during the Games, thus dislocating the normal flow of visitors to the host city, sometimes for months in advance. This includes both leisure and business travelers who will find rooms hard to come by. In turn this can mean that local attractions, restaurants and nearby destinations experience a downturn in visitation. Then during the Games, most of the accommodation is taken by people involved with the event as officials, athlete families, sponsors, media and event attendees. Again, their attention is on the Olympic events, possibly from early morning to late at night. And residents may be inclined to watch the event on television or in public venues rather than visit domestic destinations and local attractions.

In the meantime, many tour operators and domestic tourism destinations find that there’s no gold in it for them. The Daily Telegraph reports that a survey by the European Tour Operators Association of 38 different travel companies - responsible for bringing a total of two million overseas tourists to London each year - revealed that bookings for travel during the 2012 Olympics were down 95 per cent year-on-year, while bookings for travel during the rest of the 2012 have fallen by a fifth. The Olympics do however provide an outstanding opportunity for countries and host cities to take advantage of the unprecedented media coverage to add new dimensions to its brand identity. Something that Visit Britain is working hard to achieve.