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If Mexico's drug violence is so relentless and gruesome, then why are Marriott, Hilton, InterContinental and other hotel chains piling into the market?

Largely because tourists and business travelers keep piling in too. Shootouts notwithstanding, Mexico is benefiting from a tide that is raising many boats around the world. The globe's new nouveau riche are going to Mexico to vacation, taking vodka to Veracruz and kung pao to Cancun. And international companies continue to build factories in the country, albeit sometimes more slowly than before.

Embracing our cultural heritage as a revenue stream in the Olympic year is crucial to our success as a tourism hub and economic power, say leading industry figures.

New England may be in mourning over the outcome of Sunday’s nail-biter of a Super Bowl, but all is not lost: The Giants’ victory will provide a much-needed boost to the nation’s economy.

From record attendance at Super Bowl festivities to high praise from visitors, celebrities and the league's top official, organizers declared the game a victory for the city.

There’s no doubt the Super Bowl crowds showered Indianapolis with cash all week. The question is, how much of it will stick after the big game is over? And how much will it mean to Indianapolis’ economy?

Since London’s Olympic bid was accepted in 2005, economists worldwide have been debating how this momentous event will affect the UK’s economy. Following the 2008 global recession, more still have been speculating on its impact.

As the organising committee for the London Olympics hands back 120,000 hotel reservations, one tourism industry boss tells Channel 4 News high hotel prices are putting people off coming to London.

The coming year promises the excitement and opportunity of the London Olympics mixed with a shaky economic outlook, as highlighted by the recent spate of high street names running into difficulties.

London Olympics chief Sebastian Coe vowed on Thursday that the new era of austerity in Europe will not rob the games of its lustre as he began a six-month countdown to the competition.

Florida is the top U.S. vacation destination for Brazilians, who are taking advantage of a favorable exchange rate and low prices. Brazilians outnumbered all other international travelers to Florida in 2011, up 41% from the previous year.

Over three-quarters of large businesses in the UK expect London 2012 to generate an increase in demand for their goods and services, according to a new report from Deloitte, the official professional services provider to London 2012. The research reveals that 81% of companies across the UK anticipate an economic boost from the Games, compared to just 38% of companies when asked last May.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympics will be defining moments of the year ahead. However, there is a significant amount of scepticism in the UK about whether they will be good for the economy.

It is no secret that the London 2012 Olympics are to be predominantly hosted in the long-rundown Eastern part of the city (AKA East London, as in Eastenders). As a result the boroughs of Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Stratford and Waltham Forest, which were previously some of the most deprived in London, are now becoming somewhat chic.

The start of a new year for any business is a time of reflection. But it is also a time to look forward to the exciting year ahead. Years of planning, discussion and debate have now passed and we have finally entered the Olympic year.

New Mexico calls itself the Land of Enchantment. But the spell isn't working all that well.

Overnight tourist trips in New Mexico have dropped by nearly 10% in the past three years, and spending on everything from souvenir magnets to turquoise jewelry fell by hundreds of millions of dollars.

A crackdown on "ambush" marketing during this year's Olympic football events has been heavily criticised by some opposition assembly members.

More than 40,000 tourists entered Iraqi Kurdistan Region for the New Year celebrations, roughly four times as many as the previous record, AKnews reports.

The Glendale Visitor Center and the city’s downtown on Monday began to morph into football central, one day after the Stanford Cardinal and the Oklahoma State Cowboys were invited to the college bowl game.

The city last hosted all three games in 2007-08. Hospitality industry officials are projecting an economic impact in excess of $425 million.

Aggressive marketing tactics, revamped facilities and a rise in overseas and corporate travelers helped push Long Beach’s hospitality and tourism industry into the black this year. While cautiously optimistic, local industry experts and economists said the upswing should continue into 2012.

Kickoff for the 6th Annual Gildan New Mexico Bowl is Saturday at 12 p.m. at University Stadium.

The Temple Owls and Wyoming Cowboys are already in Albuquerque to prepare for the game and fans are springing into town.

AUSTRALIA'S struggling tourism sector has been warned that many of its headwinds are here to stay, meaning that long-term adjustment to cope with the mining boom and the high Australian dollar will be needed to survive.

According to the preliminary economic result published by the German Travel Association (DRV) at the beginning of its Annual Convention in South Korean Daegu, the German travel agencies generated an increase in revenues of about 9.5 percent and tour operators of about 9 percent compared with previous year’s period. “Travelling is and remains one of the central needs of Germans. In 2011, we noticed a continuing desire to travel”, says Jurgen Buchy, President of the German Travel Association pleased.

Thailand’s vital tourism industry has suffered terribly from the massive floods that continue to drain slowly from Bangkok’s suburbs. Remarkably, however, the country is poised to set a record for the most yearly international arrivals, underscoring the tourism sector’s resilience despite a string of recent crises.

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) today unveiled its U.S. marketing campaign for the upcoming winter and 2012 tourism season during an event hosted by PRTC Executive Director, Mario Gonzalez-Lafuente.  The "Puerto Rico Does It Better" campaign has already turned the Island into a thriving Caribbean hotspot and is directly responsible for a resurgence in U.S. travelers to Puerto Rico that is providing a strong boost to the local economy. 

With the impact of the severe flooding on the tourism industry estimated at Bt70 billion, international and local tourism organisations are discussing ways of protecting the sector against future disasters.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will host a meeting in Bangkok on Wednesday(Nov 23) focusing on the impacts of the flood crisis and ways to rebuild the tourism industry.

Tibetan tourism industry featured in snow-covered plateau is full of unique charms. Countless domestic and foreign tourists are eager to travel to Tibet. However, before the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, there was no tourism industry there. Tibet tourism started in 1980s. Thirty years later, Tibetan tourism industry has developed from nothing and expanded from small to large. And it is the first to achieve great-leap-forward development among the local industries, and has become the pillar industry to promote economic leap-forward development of China's Tibet autonomous region.

FOR the second year in a row, international business consulting group FutureBrand has named Canada the top brand among countries. This assessment is based on surveys with 3,500 international travellers from 14 countries, and meant to gauge what people immediately think of when a country's name is mentioned, they see a picture of it or they plan a trip there.

A newly-formed U.S. national tourism board tasked with getting more tourists to visit America launched a new campaign this week to brand the U.S. as a hip, multicultural place where the "land of awesome possibilities welcomes everyone."   

The 2012 London games are one of the UK’s biggest business procurement opportunities for decades with total public sector funding of £9.3bn but will the benefits extend beyond the capital?

LONDON’S leisure industry hopes for a bonanza next July and August, thanks to the Olympics. To lure hordes of visitors, a campaign marketing Britain abroad has been launched with the slogan “You’re invited”. But they may not come.

The tale of the two Pont Streets is an extreme illustration of England’s real estate market: The prime London market has become a bubble of wealth, blown up by international billionaires, while the rest of the country’s property sector struggles.

Latest available gross domestic product (GDP) figures show that the economy grew 6.5 percent in the third quarter of this year, on the back of strong domestic consumption and rapid growth of exports and investment. Household spending remains robust, amid low inflation and low private-sector debt. The official unemployment figure is the lowest it has been in a decade.

Australia’s ailing tourism industry on Thursday warned it was in crisis, with a 9% slump in arrivals in September due to global economic woes and no relief in sight.

The country's new positioning comes courtesy of the Corporation for Travel Promotion, which this summer hired JWT to handle a global marketing campaign and is worked with branding firm The Brand Union to create a logo for Brand U.S.A. At a time when America's economy has been sagging, the goal of this group is to promote leisure and business travel in order to drive economic growth and job creation.

Seeking to change travel trends of fewer foreigners visiting the United States, a public-private partnership launched Brand USA today, the nation’s first tourism marketing campaign.

Euromonitor International's highly anticipated WTM Global Trends Report is now available. Register now to download a copy of the report.

For every person living in New Zealand, $42 was spent on Rugby World Cup tickets - likely a per capita record for an international event in recent times. The tournament finished with sales revenue of $269 million at 87 per cent attendance - just past its target of $268.5 million.

Cape Town has been named World Design Capital for the year 2014, ahead of fellow short-listed cities, Dublin and Bilbao. The sought-after accolade was awarded to the Mother City this morning at the International Design Alliance (IDA) Congress in Taipei. Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille, accepted the award on behalf of Cape…

As rugby’s premier event reached its finale over the weekend, VisitBritain is ready to engage with the rugby world as England prepares to host the Rugby World Cup in 2015. The event will add to a blossoming £2.3 billion sports tourism industry which sees around 3 million overseas visitors each year enjoying some sort of sporting event in the UK.

The Rugby World Cup 2011 Final weekend will generate US$62.8 million (NZ$78.1 million) for the regional economy as fans from France and across New Zealand descend on Auckland for the Final on Sunday, according to new research commissioned by MasterCard Worldwide.

On Sunday, October 23rd the Rugby World Cup Final will take place at Eden Park, New
Zealand and become the only venue to stage the event twice in the 24‐year history of the
tournament. The seven‐week, 48‐match Tournament promises to be a total Rugby
experience for everybody involved, from the estimated cumulative global television
audience of 4 billion to the 95,000 international visitors expected to attend and from the 20
competing nations to the range of sponsors and official suppliers. Given the scale and level
of investment in the event and in challenging economic conditions, much interest has
focused on the scale of the economic impact on both the local NZ economy and also the
broader global sports economy.

The number of Asian visitors to New Zealand, particularly from China and Malaysia, has risen significantly over the past year, New Zealand's tourism authority announced Wednesday.

If the early indicators are anything to go by, Rugby World Cup 2011 has so far been a welcome financial boost for some businesses. And while anecdotal reports suggest non-match regions aren’t seeing high levels of RWC business, they hope to reap some of the long-term benefits.

As the All Blacks and the Wallabies prepare for Sunday’s semi-final showdown, Deakin University’s Adam Karg discusses how to make money from the competition.

Ben Rooney, Technology Editor of The Wall Street Journal, Europe speaks to the CIO of the London Olympic Games Organizing Committee Gerry Pennell on the challenges of running the first games in which many, if not most, spectators will have smartphones.

The Rugby World Cup in New Zealand with the semi-finals scheduled for this coming weekend is just under 3 million NZ dollars ($2.34 million) short of meeting its target for ticket sales, organizers announced Tuesday.

South Dakota Department of Tourism Secretary Jim Hagen took a handful of play money and tossed it up in the air.  That is what tourism businesses are doing, he told them at a meeting Monday in Rapid City, if they don't have a focused marketing plan - except it is real money they are wasting.

Branding a product is one thing, branding an entire country is quite another.  How do you capture its essence? What it is and what it aspires to be? Its history and its people, colorful and rich and complex.  South Africa is hoping to attract 12 million tourists a year by 2014 as well as inward investments of more than 15 billion rand within five years from about 11 target markets.

A part from other sporting activities such as rugby, golf, volleyball and swimming that have put Kenya on the global map as a sporting destination, athletics has proved an all- time sporting activity identified with Kenya thus pulling tourists to this country.

When the Warriors take the field against Manly in tomorrow's grand final, they'll do it in front of a sell-out crowd of about 82,000 and watched by an estimated combined television audience in Australia and New Zealand approaching four million.

With the onset of the festival season starting from Onam and lasting till Diwali, consumer durable companies have hit full throttle with their marketing initiatives. Majority of the players have upped their marketing spends by nearly 30-40 per cent, along with the introduction of new products, discounts and offers and promotion campaigns.

MetroView Systems, Australia’s leading navigation software provider, in partnership with GeoSmart, today unveiled the MetroView NZ City GPS navigation application for the iPhone and iPad. Embracing one of the biggest sporting events of the year, the world first NZ City application allows users to purchase full car navigation for a single city or region in New Zealand.

After an exceedingly successful response to the first ever-global standard Brand Strength Optimisation study, Interbrand Sampson, in partnership with Synovate Research, has once again compiled the 2nd Annual Report, which will be launched on the 21st of September 2011.

The folks over at HubSpot are usually talking about ways to generate leads online but it appears that they are well aware of other ways to generate leads.  So HubSpot, off the heels of their Inbound Marketing Summit, put together an infographic to help guide you through the process of event marketing.

World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, has confirmed South African Tourism as its exclusive partner for Meridian Club, the industry’s only global buyers club.

The on-going Rugby World Cup 2011 could generate $1.67 billion for the global sports economy with overseas visitors to New Zealand generating $654 million, according to new research commissioned by MasterCard Worldwide.

Pan-African consumers can now vote for their most admired and valued brands in the inaugural Brand Africa 100 Awards, which coincides with the second annual Brand Africa Forum. The continent's most valued brands will be revealed at an awards ceremony on Thursday, 29 September 2011 at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa .

Although the specific situation was poorly received, there certainly is evidence that a reputation crisis can cause substantial awareness that a conversation is taking place online and that it's acceptable for supporters/consumers to contribute in this space.

The head of sales and marketing at Paymarket, Paul Whiston says the percentage rise, which covers the week to 8 September, represents a huge increase in activity.

Botswana can learn a lot from neighbour South Africa to improve its tourism sector, the President of the Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM), Alex Monchusi, has noted.

State Farm, Anheuser-Busch and Verizon were among the marketers that observed 9/11 in their TV advertising. What did you think of the efforts? Who did it the right way? Did anyone do it the wrong way?

Ever since the major broadcast and cable-news networks went ad-free following the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, the day has continued to carry a stigma for the marketing community, which has largely tried to avoid 9/11-themed specials and documentaries.

Rugby World Cup 2011 fever has struck South Africa with the nail-biting win of yesterday, Sunday 11 September 2011. Fans can ensure they don't miss a single thing by setting phone reminders, tuning into CNN or, in the case of five lucky winners, sitting at the ringside.

Support for the Rugby World Cup 2011 comes in all shapes and sizes. The Jupiter Drawing Room's 'Team of Millions' ad campaign for Absa's sponsorship of the Springboks has rallied thousands of fans, Brand Inc Sport is developing a comprehensive through-the-line ad campaign for Shield Deodorant 'Official deodorant of the Springboks' and GraphicMail is running a weekly mobile marketing campaign with T-art to help promote its Springbok Supporter competition.

As municipalities across the country struggle with lagging revenues, budget deficits and ongoing demands to provide vital services for citizens, destination marketing and tourism investment may be perceived as frivolous. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Mobile and email marketing service provider GraphicMail has launched a mobile marketing campaign with fashion start-up 'T-art', a group of enterprising University of Cape Town, South Africa students with an innovative new product that plays on the latest social media buzz. T-art's first-of-its kind 'status update T-shirt' has been released just in time for celebrating Mobile Marketing Week and is being used to promote support for the national rugby team throughout the IRB World cup.

The South African tourism board together with the South African High Commission in Botswana hosted events to mark South African Tourism Week, which started the 6th and will ran through Friday the 9.

Social Media Marketing in the Middle East has seen enormous growth since the recent anti-government protests that have spread across the region. Demonstrators have used social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter to spread information, defend beliefs, organize meetings, and commemorate heroes. Use of social media continues in Middle Eastern countries, and while protests in some places become less frequent, casual use of social media becomes more common.

Brand Finance plc. today releases figures showing the dramatic impact of the economic situation on the value of 'Brand USA'.

One million tickets are already sold to the rugby world cup on Monday July 4th which amounted to NZD200 million. The RWC has already reached 75% of their revenue target.
When the world is looking at a sloe economy, especially in Europe and the United States, New Zealand is bucking the trend and gaining lots of momentum.

Two Decades After It Left the Scene as a National Player, Iconic Airline Aims to Recapture Romance of the Jet Age.

The Lee Myung-bak administration has been obsessed with improving the nation’s image abroad, resulting in the establishment of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding (PCNB) in 2009.

Britain has been under attack in recent days as a politically motivated over-reaction has swept the country. No, I am not talking about the riots that broke out in London, Birmingham and Manchester. I am referring to the journalists and assortment of branding ’experts’ who subsequently attempted to explain the rioting with quack science and selective reporting.

Looking at creating a positive image for Tanzania tourism and increasing awareness with more recognition among other African safari competitors, the Tanzania Tourist Board is looking at a new marketing brand that would suit this African destination more than the current one in use.

How the ongoing response to the riots is handled will have a lasting impact on the health of the nation.

Purveyors of gangster fashion aimed at youth have been dismayed that England's rampaging pillagers found their wares particularly appealing.

At least the launch went to script. Just a fortnight ago at Westpac Stadium, the All Blacks came out in their tight new adidas jerseys and slipped through the Canterbury-suited Springboks with teflon-coated ease.

After designer handbags, perfumes and tablet computers, the latest global success story to fall victim to Chinese counterfeiting is French wine. The process is easy, a vender tells FRANCE 24, and most customers don’t seem able to tell the difference.

The message from VisitBritain following a wave of popular unrest across the county remains ‘You’re Invited’, but perhaps just not right now.

The UK’s tourism authority has pulled a video promoting Britain with the tag line from adverts running alongside BBC iPlayer programmes overseas following violence on the streets of London and other major cities earlier this week.

David Cameron yesterday branded sections of our society as ‘sick’. Tellingly he didn’t seem to have a cure.

The reaction from the British public has been as natural as it was obvious. Condemning the rioters as anything from ‘morons’ to ‘scum’ is of course a natural and possibly justifiable response to seeing your country go up in flames and young people running amok, lawlessly looting and robbing as they go.

Malaysia has dislodged perennial favorite Singapore from the top spot in an international ranking of how countries are viewed around the world.

Singapore fell to sixth place in the 2011 Q2 nation branding perception study conducted by East West Communications, a Washington-based consultancy that provides services to help nations improve their images abroad. East West has been releasing quarterly and yearly perception indexes of 200 countries and major territories since 2008.

A few miles from the worst violence to hit the city in 25 years, beach volleyball players dived headlong in the sand, the most summery of Olympic sports on display less than a year before the London Games.

Yes, the annual advertisement attack we are subjected to every Ramadan is annoying. And yes, by the time the commercial breaks are over we lose track of what show we were watching. But despite how much we dread them, the ad marathons mean one thing — all is well on the economic front.

The China strategy includes a seven-point plan with the goal of creating economic, cultural and educational opportunities for First Nations youth, elders and businesses.

They are: build the internal capacity of First Nations’ awareness and understanding on China; promote reciprocal annual missions between First Nations/Canada and China; establish a China Desk to assist First Nations to respond to and develop business opportunities; develop best practices to help Chinese investors understand the consultation and collaboration process with First Nations; expand market opportunities for first nations in China; urge the creation of a joint first nations/provincial and federal technical working 

Tourism officials have warned that if the authorities fail to prevent the spread of violence and looting in London – and other parts of Britain – the country’s image as a safe holiday destination could suffer long-term damage.

The United States faces a damaging domestic political crisis after its financial downgrading last week. At the same time, its reputation as a leading global power is taking a battering on the world stage.

WITH the countdown to Beef Australia 2012 hitting the nine-month mark this week, a new billboard on the Bruce Highway into Rockhampton's north has been unveiled to promote the event - and its new branding - to the thousands of motorists who pass by every day.

While some firms may feel that saying they are pan-Asian or even global rather than Singaporean is advantageous, keeping Singapore's image for values and skills at the fore may offer service firms greater benefits.

Rather than pushing the Singapore brand into the background when they expand overseas, service firms may well grow faster if they fully leverage the very positive image of Singapore and then build upon it with a global vision.

It is inevitable that, in times of crisis, a nation's character is tested, and national identity defined. Nowhere in the world have we recently witnessed the strength of having a well- defined, well-understood definition of national identity than that of Norway following the recent extremist violence.

As globalization advances and as more and more companies move their production to more salary-competitive countries, it’s harder to tell where does one product some from. Hence the need to clearly mark products made in Cyprus as ‘Made in Cyprus’, products made in Ireland as ‘Made in Ireland’, products made in the Netherlands as ‘Made in the Netherlands’.

We’ve argued before that commercial brands coming from emerging countries such as Brazil, China and India should use their nationality as a marketing asset more, and that they can do it across many industries. But they are not alone. Even brands coming from a country with a strong nation brand such as Japan could use nationality more. One example is Japanese luxury car brands, which haven’t fully used their native Nippon nation-brand potential to compete against their German rivals. Or so I argue in this brief essay, of which this is the first part.

When Wall Street Journal reporter Stephanie Simon was looking for a ranch branding to cover for a news article, her inquiries eventually led her to the plains of eastern Colorado, site of the Bledsoe Ranch.

A recent survey of the world’s top 280 multinational corporations has named Hong Kong and Singapore as the top two business locations worldwide, gathering a total score of 68.2 percent and 67.5 percent respectively.

PyeongChang, located in the middle of nowhere in the rugged Gangwon province in South Korea, is now destined for global fame after winning the bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. The contest among it and two better-known European cities was not even close –it gained 63 votes to 25 for Munich and 7 for Annecy.

The world’s largest companies are opting to locate their offices in booming Asian economies, reflecting a shift in global economic power, according to new research by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE). Business Footprints, the first study of its kind that analyses the office locations of 280 of the world’s largest companies across 232 cities, found that Hong Kong is the most popular city for international businesses, with 68.2% of international companies surveyed represented there.

The Philippine government is set to launch its country brand that aims to boost tourist arrivals and improve the local economy before year end, senior government official said today.

To Chinese, Los Angeles is the new New York, whereas to the Germans and French, Brussels is up there – as a lifestyle destination – with the likes of Rome and Tokyo. The latest Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index list held a few surprises, though in many cases it’s a case of plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

Palestinian business leaders are looking to develop a ‘country brand’ for Palestine, which it will use for global promotion.

South Africa has been identified as one of the key markets for global investors, moving up to 4th position, according to new research published by UK Trade & Investment
Addressing the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Emerging Markets, the UK Secretary or State, Lord Mandelson revealed the findings of a new report which examines global business attitudes to emerging markets in light of the global downturn.

Wales is hoping that before he retires from the big screen Harry Potter will cast one final spell: a sort of amortentia potion to send tourists to the small country on the Irish Sea.

Once you’ve made yourself aware of what’s happening during the 2012 London Olympic Games (by reading our first feature in this series) you need to decide how you’re going to use the event to boost your business’s profile.

Perhaps no nation has garnered more advances in economy, exports, international standing and culture in the last decade than South Korea. Samsung is now in the same league as Sony, Korean soap operas are very popular across South-East Asia, Hyundai and Kia are now mega-brands, the country has hosted a G20 summit…

One of the advantages of a strong national brand is that it shields the country from reputational risks. It’s exactly what is happening now in Thailand. “Thailand went through a tsunami, a coup d’état, red shirts, lahat na ng problema they encountered; but in 2010, they registered the highest tourist arrivals, 15.8 million, despite all the trouble they’ve been having,” informs Del Mundo.

This article will be the first of a series of articles digging into the recently released Global Innovation Index 2011. In this issue we will give you just the country rankings. In the coming days I will dig through the Global Innovation Index 2011 report and see what interesting insights I can uncover about innovation in different regions, and report back here on Blogging Innovation.

‘Sapporo suggests that Pyeongchang will experience a boom in tourism.’

PyeongChang’s victory Wednesday in its third successive bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games will likely help upgrade Korea’s brand image overseas, according to analysts.

It’s clear that with such a long history, India has an enormous country brand potential – in tourism, culture, diplomacy, international relations, exports, et cetera. What’s less obvious, and yet more important, is how India can play a relevant role in people’s lifes across the globe.

Simon Mainwaring, former creative director for Nike at Weiden & Kennedy, is a man with thoughtful and interesting views on brands and marketing.  So when I was offered a copy of his book, We First:  How Brands & Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World, I was intrigued.  My curiosity was well-rewarded.

There may be a bitter dispute over how to reduce the federal deficit, but that didn't stop Congress from authorizing the creation of a new entity whose job it is to pump up the USA as a destination for foreign travelers.

A brand is a mental blueprint for consumers. Virtually anything can be branded. Branding can be organic. Branding can be deliberate. Branding is malleable to an extent. You can virtually brand anything including products, people and objects.

Mexico is undoubtedly a challenged brand. Drug cartels, violence, murder and kidnappings have been grabbing headlines, thus deterring tourists who typically flock to the country for its beaches, Mayan archaeological sites and tequila.

As tourism branding opportunities go, you'd be hardpressed to come up with something better than a pair of glamorous newlyweds oohing and ahhing over Canada Day fireworks, cracking open a Prince Edward Island lobster and whooping it up at the Calgary Stampede while the world watches.

Since the fall of communism, nations around the globe have worked not only to distinguish themselves, but to market themselves as well. Now cities are the new nation-states, and competition for markets and dollars is fiercer than ever. Urban centres face enormous opportunity – and pressure – to sell what makes them unique.

To attract more long-term investors, the Philippines should market itself as an investment “brand,” with rules that are set for the long term and not dependent on who the sitting president is.

Residents Resigned to Way Hit Movie Captures Sleaze That Makes Vegas Seem Tame

I never thought I would write such a story. News being reported on Norwegian media have it that the Norwegian foreign ministry has begun training aspiring diplomats in the Black Metal sub-culture, after foreign service missions noticed a rise in enquiries about the musical genre from around the world.

Chairul Tanjung, the Para Group chairman, said the brand for the national tourism industry is difficult determine due to the different tourism potential in every region of Indonesia. “We need something original and realistic,” he said yesterday.

As you all are well aware of, South Korea is embarked in a nation branding project that should enhance its image in a few years time.

VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, has named American Express as a global partner to help drive inbound tourism to the UK, as part of its £100m marketing campaign.

A proposal that would force companies to slap "Made in" labels on billions of euros in goods sold in the European Union has split the bloc's southern manufacturing base from big, mostly northern, multinational companies that sell items imported from abroad.

Perception challenges

The same is true with a country. As the world becomes more competitive and increasingly interconnected, a country cannot leave its reputation to chance. It must create and define its own brand, knowing that it could mean a big difference for its people.

Unfortunately, the Philippines lacks a singular, powerful identity as a nation. Outsiders have no single image to connect to their positive experiences of the Philippines.

Most successful brands have something in common. They come from a country, which has a brand image of its own and the products are strongly linked to the image of the country.

Italian cars are associated with qualities of style speed, innovation and design, French perfume is sold on chicness, classiness and style, and Japanese technology products are sold on high-tech expertise, miniaturization and value for money.

Just like manufacturer brands, nation brands conjure and evoke certain feelings and emotional triggers. No wonder, the world’s most successful commercial brands come from the top 10 nation brands, led by America. Over the last century, American brands have been extensively marketed across the globe. The global following of Hollywood has aided the seamless flow of American culture and brands into lives and households in other nations. Undoubtedly, therefore, the country of origin, or provenance, establishes credibility and authenticity of brands.

The International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) can only achieve its goals if all stakeholders, including business, government and civil society, collaborate in positioning South Africa as a globally competitive nation, a conference in Johannesburg heard on Tuesday.

South Africa has been awarded the title of most valuable nation brand on the continent, with its recent inclusion in the BRICS grouping and successful hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup contributing to strong positive perceptions both locally and abroad.

France will host the Ryder Cup for the first time in 2018 on Le Golf National course near Paris.

Forget about fancy country logos. Flags are the real logo of a country. They mark everything from that country, they evoke ideas, they enshrine feelings and thoughts – love and hatred, envy and pride. No country logo attains that.

Last weekend's royal wedding has been credited with many things, from a welcome boost to national wellbeing to the swing away from AV.

In spite of the fact that Guinness is the major sponsor of the international friendly match between Nigeria and Argentina, other brands interestingly are scrambling to latch on to the match for brand equity in a match billed for Abuja on June 1.The world over, football has a great followership and the calculation of brands is how to

There is a North-South divide in the UK about whether the London 2012 Olympics will benefit Britain's economy, according to a new survey.

Anatol Lieven's clear-sighted study asks if Pakistan has lost control of its international narrative

Back in 1981, the Office of Lord Chamberlain sent out a small collection of "acceptable" designs to use on commemorative items for the royal wedding.

Latvia has in the past devoted forces to manage its national image – its nation brand. The former director of the Latvian Institute Ojars Kalnins himself showed a great interest in nation branding, and just a few months ago we refered to one of his texts, where he imagined Latvia as a country providing fresh and clean air to the world.

This article explains MadeinUSAForever.com, a San Clemente-based website promotes domestic products.

To a first-timer, the railway journey from New York to Washington holds the joyful prospect of any new travel experience: the thrill of sights unseen and a journey between two great world cities in the comfort of a smooth-riding train.

But as you stare out of the window a sense of shock begins to invade the senses. Beginning in Newark, just outside of New York, you notice the first gigantic, abandoned factories - empty, with windows blown out and roofs collapsing.

We’ve written about Ukraine’s nation branding issues before, but all efforts to bolster nation’s poor international image risk being undermined by widening political credibility gap, writes Kateryna Zarembo.

Council of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry agreed to move forward with a counties branding project in February. Now, Banfield-Seguin Ltd., an Ottawa-based marketing and communications agency has begun to undertake a brand strategy development, explained president and director of client services with the firm, Nancy Webb.

The government needs to understand better the importance of perception and work with established global brands such as the UN, Greenpeace, or leading academic institutions to add credibility to the message that Japan is open for business.

Ghana is one of the leading lights for political and economic development in Africa, most assessments of the continent’s potential have solidly confirmed.

It now seems that British Airways is going to relaunch its brand later on this year. This announcement comes just following its big merger with Iberia. So what will change with this re-branding? Well the details of the relaunch are going to be kept very secret until later this autumn.

Welcome to the Nippon-Nordic Confederation – a new country sitting on the globe’s top.

This new nation is our inventive approach to what an imaginary country would be like if Tyler Brule, former Wallpaper magazine founder and current editor-in-chief of cult magazine Monocle were its reigning dictator.

Several countries are working hard to revitalise their image and are building identities around their positive attributes

The year 2012 will be an important one for the Caribbean. It is the year when both Jamaica and Trinidad celebrate fifty years of independence and  the one in which the Caribbean is expected to demonstrate at the London Olympics its spirit and success.

Successive Turkish governments have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to promote Turkey’s image abroad, but have been unable to overcome cultural prejudices. Simon Anholt, who coined the term ‘nation branding,’ says the issue is not about marketing or communication, but concrete policies that put the nation on a respectable spot on the global map

Even if you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you have heard about China’s impressive economic growth and its continuing rise as an important global player. A few weeks ago, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee released an informative report on the disparities between Chinese and American public diplomacy activities today. Most importantly, the report, commissioned by Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), the Ranking Member of the Committee, gave a clear and concise look at China’s current rebranding strategies.

Doughnuts, hockey, Mounties and self–deprecating gags are effective at branding Canada to Canadians. But globally, these stereotypes just don't translate. Some of the strongest national brands and companies, like BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, aren't largely known to be Canadian outside our borders, and there was only so long the country's space reputation could rest on the shoulder of the Canadarm. Just a quarter of Canadian business people surveyed as part of our Business without Borders initiative last year felt there was a distinct brand surrounding Canadian companies and products abroad.

How companies are finding new success marketing a suddenly hot Canadian brand abroad

A new brand replacing the area’s “Cape Fear Coast” marketing moniker is on its way, but months of extensive research and planning will come first.

Even if you've been living under a rock, chances are you have heard about China's impressive economic growth and its continuing rise as an important global player. A few weeks ago, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee released an informative report on the disparities between Chinese and American public diplomacy activities today. Most importantly, the report, commissioned by Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), the Ranking Member of the Committee, gave a clear and concise look at China's current rebranding strategies. Aware of its current spotlight and of its negative perceptions abroad, China has heavily invested in their soft power in hopes to ameliorate their image and be seen as less of a threat during their economic expansion. However, having read the report and other articles about China's so-called "peaceful development", it's easy to see how China could very well be standing in their own way. In terms of country branding, their initiative lacks one key factor and that is truthfulness.

Brand Kenya is seeking to use athletes to market Kenya as a tourism and investment destination.

The president of the Japanese Olympic Committee expressed his gratitude to the Olympic Movement for its support following the March 11 earthquake in Japan.

Last week we published an interview with Wally Olins on his efforts to brand Poland (a project he worked for the Polish Brand Institute (www.imp.org.pl), as well as a short speech by Mr. Olins at a press room.

VisitBritain has stepped in to defend its tourism policies after the country was branded ‘appalling’ in the WEF Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report published on Monday

Positive views of Brazil have sharply improved in the annual BBC World Service Country Rating Poll of 27 countries around the world.

The number of people who see Brazil as having a positive influence in the world is rising rapidly, according to a BBC World Service poll of 27 countries.

Britain has been named as the second most popular nation in the world – being pipped to the top spot only by old rivals Germany.

The earthquake has hit local tourism operators hard but with global media focused on the devastation there is concern the tragic reality of one city centre could become the perception of an entire country.

No doubt, Wally Olins is one of the world’s most experienced and influential nation branding experts. He has worked with many countries including Portugal and Poland, but with the latter he’s gone through his ups and downs. 

When it comes to nation branding, America's brand needs a hero. Captain America the movie won’t be released until July. But will that be soon enough for us to spot the superhero on the horizon? America needs rescuing right now.

Dorie Clark, CEO of Clark Strategic Communications, is a marketing and communications consultant. This article is a small piece on why Costa Rica is a winning brand from the touristic point of view.

This article looks at the world’s most unwanted. That is, countries (and nationalities) few feel sympathy for.

The CEO of a Bangkok-based branding agency has told Thailand’s travel industry leaders that its tourism campaign needs to change and is being 'eclipsed' by other destination brands.

The last stanza of Kosovo's nation-branding ad sounds euphemistic. Bringing Kosovo fully onto the international map will require intensified efforts from both inside and outside Kosovo.

Social media accelerated the protest-to-revolution lifecycle. Now some in Egypt seem to be turning to social media to accelerate the lifecycle from revolution to a return to normalcy.

As India asserts itself within the ever-evolving global power dynamic, India is having a vibrant discussion about public diplomacy and nation-branding, and how to engage in channels of public diplomacy as a means to project its emergence. One such platform for this discussion is found in the India Future of Change initiative.

In his view “branding is everything”. Wally Olins, chairman of Saffron Brand Consultants, is regarded as one of the world’s most experienced practitioners of corporate branding. He has a particular interest in the branding of regions and nations — something which is becoming important in an increasingly globalised world in which the perception we have of a country often influences the way we view it as a destination to invest in and explore, as well as a place from where we buy branded products. In this conversation with Preeti Khicha, Olins throws light on the subject of nation branding and shares his views on some of the recent rebranding initiatives in corporate India.

Branding should be as important for a country as it is for a product, though many overlook it. Now Hungary is finally taking its own brand seriously. The task facing Gergely Böszörményi Nagy and his colleagues is daunting; develop a single, unifying brand for Hungary, channel all government communications to reflect it, and as part of the process, help Hungarians rediscover their love for Europe. Böszörményi Nagy rejoices in the very long title of Deputy Head of the Department for Strategic Communication at the State Secretariat for Government Communications.

New York-based JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU), in partnership with Empire State Development (ESD), on February 8 immortalized its hometown status with the unveiling of an Airbus A320 aircraft, aptly named "I HeartBlue York," featuring the airline's co-branded trademark with New York State's iconic I LOVE NEW YORK tourism campaign and logo.

The recent episode about BBC’s motor show Top Gear’s remarks on Mexico, Mexicans and Mexican products highlights the sometimes under-valued power of nation brands. The episode vividly showed to what extent countries are haunted by stereotypes and cliches, and how commercial brands and products are many times judged by their country of origin rather than by their actual qualities.

Vietnam is to rebrand itself "A Different Orient" as it tries to continue its recent boom in visitor numbers.

Mr Anand Sharma, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, with the EU Trade Commissioner, Mr Karel de Gucht on the sidelines of World Economic Forum at Davos on Friday.

As if hosting the largest gathering of people on the planet weren't enough of an intriguing proposition, backers of a campaign to bring the 2020 world fair to Silicon Valley have come up with some estimates of the economic windfall that would gild the region during the six-month event -- and the numbers are big.

MARY KIMONYE, 49, single-handedly started off a parastatal to brand Kenya at a time when the country was on the brink of disintegration. She used her energy and zeal to instil pride and patriotism in Kenyans while painting a rosy picture of the country abroad.

Talking about the evolution of branding and its significance, Olins discussed how brands are driven by ideas and how a brand's country of origin is crucial.

We’ve seen before that there exists an intimate relationship between national brand and nation brands. By this effect, national attributes are permeated to national brands, and corporate values are permeated to a country’s brand.

Companies dedicated to giving countries and leaders a voice in the mad clamour that is global communications are pushing further into international frontier territories

Travelers and distributors encounter a growing number of messages from established and emerging destinations, all competing for limited mind space and descretionary spending on scarce vacation time. Destinations need an efficient means to create a sense of place on travelers' mental maps.

Globalization is one of the truest realities of the current business climate. More countries are opening their markets and inviting foreign companies into their economies. Migration of intellectual capital is more pervasive than ever.

Dorie Clark, CEO of Clark Communications explains why Costa Rica is a winning brand.

Troy Thompson explains the effectiveness of destination brand names from the consumer's perspective.

Timed to coincide with Chinese president Hu Jintao' three day visit to the U.S. that kicked off today, a nation-branding campaign dubbed "Experience China" has taken over New York's Times Square even though Hu is in Washington for talks with President Obama.

Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, asserted that the new branding of the Indonesian tourism was "Wonderful Indonesia" referring to the five criteria namely the nature, culture, people, food, and money.

‘Many foreign countries are sometimes deemed as mere international counterparts of US election battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio’

The German dioxin-in-food scandal is not only leading to the mass culling of livestock in the country, but may be the spark that finally leads to requirements that meat and poultry sold in Europe be labeled with the products’ country of origin.

How do you capture the essence of Nevada in a brand?

That’s a task the Nevada Tourism Commission will assign to a brand development vendor when it drafts a request for proposals over the next couple of months.

After more than a decade of success with the 100% Pure New Zealand brand, Tourism New Zealand has decided it's time to take a different tack and a fresh assault on key tourism markets.

And the key to its new approach lies with just one three-letter word - you.

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has launched a new tourism brand, “Definitely Dubai”, to promote the country to new and repeat visitors.

New Zealand's landscapes and scenery are no longer the star of the country's 100 Percent Pure tourism promotion.

The long-running campaign's been given an overhaul, from today New Zealand is being sold as “100 Percent Pure You”.

According to Forimmediaterelease.net, despite a return to growth in 2010 there is a solid case for caution in looking at global travel expectations in the coming year. This is a time for measured analysis and focused response. The 2008/9 global financial crisis fundamentally changed the economic and consumer landscape.

Whether it be the Haiti Presidential second round election (expected on Jan. 16); the Peruvian Parliamentary and Presidential ballots (in April); or the Argentinian presidential election (in October), the precise outcome of several key ballots in the Americas in 2011 is uncertain.

Brands create nations, according to a study published by global branding consultancy Interbrand in collaboration with the Swiss business magazine Bilanz. An analysis of the rankings of the Best Global Brands over the past ten years shows that the USA is the uncontested world champion when it comes to creating leading brands, but when the brand power is compared in relation to the economic performance of the respective countries represented, the result is a very different picture: The real world champion is Switzerland.

Indonesia will launch the new branding “Wonderful Indonesia” as part of its tourism campaign to attract up to 7.7 million foreign tourists next year.

Nation-branding is big business, but some experts says it’s no substitute for good policies.

NBA champion Kobe Bryant to feature in global campaign in the first quarter of 2011

Just about a month ago, Filipinos demonstrated their disdain for change for the sake of change with the debut and rapid withdrawal of the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) proposed new imagery and slogan for the Philippines’ country branding initiative, Pilipinas kay Ganda. As you’ll recall, that initiative was riddled with a number of infirmities, including plagiarized imagery; a dull, curious slogan; and, a URL embarrassingly similar to a porn site.

In recent weeks, the focus for Ireland and indeed the world’s financial markets has been on devising a plan to remedy the country’s precarious banking and fiscal affairs.

With the basis of an agreement having been reached with the IMF and the EU around initiatives to help restore Ireland’s financial credibility internationally, there is now a need to focus attention on restoring the nation’s reputation.

Representatives of public and private sectors stakeholders on Wednesday agreed on the need for a unified nation brand which branches into various key economic sectors, as a means to promote Jordanian products at the domestic and international levels.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Finland and China. In September 2004, Finland was granted Approved Destination Status (ADS) by Chinese tourism authorities, which resulted in a boom for the tourism industries of both countries.

According to Homer Simpson, jokes about national stereotypes are funny because they are true. That is, if we take perception to be reality, and in marketing we do. A country’s reputation is based on the perceptions of others, though these are often nothing more than cliches.

In a lead-up to her Ultimate Australian Adventure, Oprah Winfrey last week aired Oprah's Aussie Countdown, which featured a segment with a report by Australian TV personality Carrie Bickmore. Ms. Bickmore's report, meant to educate the audience on Australian culture, sparked an upset when she said Australians like to spend time at "hip hangouts" called McDonald's.

Gold Coast Tourism says early indications are the new marketing brand 'Famous for Fun' has captured the right image for the city.

British Airways has secured its tie-up with Iberia, and there's a PR shake-up in the pipeline. This article weighs whether or not the brand can hang onto its 'Britishness'.

Copenhagen remains a strong brand, but despite spending 400 million kroner on branding the country overall, the Denmark still has a lacklustre image abroad.

It may seem obvious, but the critical first step is discovering what Kenya is about and what can be used effectively to market Kenya. We have tourism, sports, natural resources, flowers, tea, coffee and culture, but we find the single most valuable asset we can use as the principal marketing platform.

US-owned bottled water giant Fiji Water shut down operations in the military-ruled Pacific nation Monday, branding it "increasingly unstable" and a risky place to do business.

The report essentially suggests that Finland should profile itself as a global problem-solver in a number of key areas where Finland has its strengths – Functionality (’Finland Works’, the authors say), Water (’Drink Finland’) and Education (’Finland gives you a lesson’).

A delegation set up to improve Finland’s international reputation says the country should profile itself as a problem-solver focused on functionality, nature and education.

While the 'down under' stigma still holds in parts of Europe, Australia is a good place to do business

In Jakarta we live in a megacity, a claim we share with over half the world’s population. By 2050 the United Nations predicts two-thirds of all humans will be living in megacities. These are cities that drive the global economy; they are the junction boxes of economic exchange. And as people, capital and culture become increasingly fluid, every city is competing to absorb that fluidity.

So much has been said about the tourism department’s recently unveiled (and consequently withdrawn then scrapped) branding proposal to replace the eight year old “Wow Philippines.”

This article explains how Colombia changed its image from one of the world’s “bad boys” to somewhere people want to invest and visit.

Some say the new tourism logo "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" may not be so new.
Reports circulated online that the slogan's design is a rip-off from Poland's `Polska' tourism logo.

One of the snide remarks on the Department of Tourism’s new campaign slogan came from Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who told reporters Wednesday that she thought the new brand “is just ignorant, and ignorance is boring.”

If most cigar-producing countries blend tobacco from all over the world, why is the country of origin given so much weight in evaluating a cigar?

Nation or country branding is about using strategic marketing to promote different aspects of a country’s identity. Country branding implies that countries behave in many ways like commercial and corporate brands.

This is an once in a lifetime opportunity in branding the country and Seoul.

The G20 has put the mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon, in the spotlight, as reporters from all over the world converge on the city. So he isn't missing a chance to get in front of the cameras and sing Seoul's praises.

Timeshare and fractional ownership has played a significant part in Dubai’s rise as one of the most desirable winter sun destinations in the world and now Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is launching Definitely Dubai to spread the word even further.

The Philippines also needs to boost its brand value and competitiveness. Until the design of a comprehensive strategy, our overseas Filipino workers, including Filipino missionary priests, can do much to help enhance our image abroad, if the government can give them more support.

Canada was picked No. 1 in a global survey of countries with the most favourable brand, thanks to a boost from the Vancouver Olympics.

What springs to mind when you think of Slovenia? It is a question which the managers of the country’s “brand” are constantly asking – and to which they are trying to ensure a consistent response. According to some, they are succeeding but others warn that destination branding is a long-term process, says Tomas Vucurevic.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in early 2009 created the Presidential Council on Nation Branding to improve the country’s reputation and lift what the council itself calls that nation’s maturity level.

How does Brand Oz look in China these days? Jennifer Mills went to the Shanghai Expo to see the results of Simon Crean's recent nation branding exercise

With the G-20 Summit approaching, all eyes are focusing on Seoul. The Korean economy has been growing rapidly over the past couple of years and it now ranks 9th in the world in terms of export volume.

However, Korea’s national brand image still lags behind. According to criteria on national branding developed by the Samsung Economic Research Institute and the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, Korea’s national brand ranked 19th in terms of substance and 20th in terms of image.

Recent scrutiny on North Korea by the international media has worsened problems associated with South Korea’s image, but the upcoming G20 summit in Seoul is a chance to set the record straight, the nation’s new branding chief said Wednesday.

The Finnish Foreign Ministry's press release, according to which former Nokia CEO Jorma Ollila was to start work on creating a country brand for Finland, took many by surprise in September 2008. According to the press release, Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb had set up a high-level delegation to develop a national brand for Finland.

The glory can obscure the ignominy that dogged the Commonwealth Games, but learn we must from our mistakes..

This article explains a debate about name change in South Africa at Tuesday night’s event Dialogue that was hosted by the Daily Dispatch and the University of Fort Hare.

Advertising history is replete with examples of cross-cultural branding blunders.

This article explains why Nokia, Lego and Bang & Olufsen boost Sweden's reputation.

With a strong industry, cutting edge technology, breathtaking landscape and exciting culture, Sweden is ranked as one of the most admired countries globally, according to a new nation branding survey.

Three months ago if you would have asked me to cite the first three things that come to mind about Chile, I would have said something like South America, interesting terrain, and a fearful dictator named Pinochet.

Australians are smarting after a British branding expert proclaimed that the nation was viewed as the "dumb blonde" of the world.

The publicity the country has enjoyed this week is a one-off rocket boost to its international standing of the sort other countries can only dream of.

Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has launched a new consumer-facing brand identity “Definitely Dubai”.

India exceeded the world's low expectations for the Commonwealth Games after a chaotic run-up to the athletic event, but the organizers fell far short of their goals of showcasing the nation's economic progress and burnishing its global image.

Come January and LG Electronics will start selling microwaves with customised autocook menus for different regions. For example, there will be Bengali fish curry and shukto in the one-touch menu of microwaves sold in eastern India; Goan fish curry and pav bhaji in the West; and idli and upma in the South.

The Commonwealth Games end on Thursday with an opportunity lost to show off New Delhi to the world after a collapsing bridge, rogue snakes, health scares and heavy-handed security took the sheen off " Incredible India ". But India's economic juggernaut has emerged unscathed despite dire predictions a chaotic Games could repel investors, a signal returns are too enticing for foreign firms hardened to realities of doing business in a booming trillion-dollar economy.

The emergence of the last miner from 69 days from beneath the Atacama Desert in Chile came after a 24-hour vigil by people glued to televisions and computer monitors around the world.

Hoteliers in Taipei are not obligated to take part in the competition and some well-known five-star hotels, such as the Lalu Hotel, have declinedcases of dengue fever were reported over the last week, the most new cases in a single week this year

A new edition of the popular Nation Brands Index has just been released today. According to the Nation Brands Index 2010’s earliest known details, the United States continues to have the world’s most valuable country brand, a place it obtained in in 2009 after Obama’s election. There are minor changes in this year’s edition of the Nation Brands Index, but are noteworthy nonetheless. For instance, the BRIC countries continue to advance, and at a faster pace than before, their nation brand images, while the PIGS, predictably, have lost some charm because of the economic uncertainties they have been going through.

VisitBritain has welcomed the UK maintaining of fourth place as an overall brand out of 50 nations behind the US, Germany and France.

Northern Ireland has been named as a top business tourism destination by delegates in a recent report.

The new chief of the presidential panel on improving Korea’s international status said the country’s culture and history is largely unknown worldwide despite its past economic achievements, making it difficult to achieve the desired results from its recent vigorous overseas promotional activities.

For anyone inspired by Eat, Pray, Love, a memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, we have compiled some suggestions on how to find the destinations and gurus featured in the book.

Following a divorce and a bout of depression, the American author spent a year travelling to Italy, India and Indonesia to indulge, meditate and find happiness.

The book was an international hit, spending more than 170 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

The film version, starring Julia Roberts, has just been released in UK cinemas.

Outbound trips in August were estimated at 31,441; up by 9.5 per cent when compared to the corresponding month last year.

As with many post-modern concepts the definition of nation branding and associated terms lack consensus. Therefore, as we pursue the Brand Ghana programme it is imperative that the terms associated with nation branding are understood in the context in which they are used by the Brand Ghana Office.

In a surprising turnabout, international tourism to Mexico showed a sharp increase this summer — a sign that tourists may be putting aside worries about the economy and fears of drug-related violence, analysts say.

Nation branding is a vital exercise in the creation of a country as a tourism product, and it is Brunei's time to shine in the industry once it has created its national brand, said Susan M Warren, director of Making Tourism Work (MTW) Associates.

Puerto Rico Tourism Co. (PRTC) Executive Director Mario González Lafuente on Thursday unveiled the island’s new branding campaign: “Discover Why Puerto Rico Does It Better.”

VisitBritian and British Airways today launch a new campaign designed to attract more tourists to the country, which includes special discount deals with hotels.

In January 1995, the government of the Isle of Man, a tiny island in the middle of the Irish Sea (between Ireland and the UK mainland), appointed nation branding agency Acanchi to raise the island’s profile by developing a country brand.

The Gold Coast's new tourism brand has not been released yet but it is already being criticised for neglecting Surfers Paradise.

The Gold Coast's new tourism brand has not been released yet but it is already being criticised for neglecting Surfers Paradise.

A rare advisory for US travelers to beware of potential terrorist threats in Europe drew shrugs yesterday from many Americans on the continent, but tourism officials worried that it could deter people from crossing the Atlantic.

Tourism officials here have set a lofty goal: to propel Mexico into the top five of worldwide destinations by 2018.

Last week we got exposed a burst of strong share of voice(SOV)and share of media(SOM) on the President’s visit for the 65th United Nations General Assemby in New York. My take from the visit was that Sri Lanka has finally got the stage ready to launch an aggressive Nation branding campaign that can propel the country to be the ‘Wonder of Asia’. In fact, the total media blitz from ground zero echoed some of the pillars of an effective Nation Branding strategy of a country.

Cuba’s most recent tourism campaign Authentic Cuba was launched Friday in the Netherlands before tour operator’s representatives, travel agents, airlines and the local media.

It didn't take long for the first athletes arriving in New Delhi last week for the upcoming Commonwealth Games to catch a glimpse of modern India's two faces.

A plan to create a ‘Made in France’ label to emphasize the Frenchness of products has been met with mixed reactions from business people, ConnexionFrance reports. The idea, being pushed by former Overseas Minister Yves Jégo, was labelled “xenophobic” by one businessman, while others said it was ecological or good for the image of their goods.

Kerala Tourism has come out with its new international campaign – ‘Your moment is waiting’ – which is evincing some extreme reactions.

This article is the second part of a two-part series based on our discussions and exchanges with Martin Roll, business and brand strategist, former Honorary Ambassador to Korea and the author of the global bestseller “Asian Brand Strategy“. The first part was about Korea’s Image and Global Brands, the second part focuses on National Branding and the role Koreans and expatriates can play in this process.

The federal government's official travel advisory on India is now warning tourists about potential problems with Commonwealth Games venues, following two construction incidents in the space of 48 hours.

Tourism in Yemen has dramatically declined, especially in southern troubled provinces, where government troops engaged in deadly clashes with growing armed separatist groups since 2007 and separately fighting the resurgent al-Qaida wing which escalated its attacks recently, officials told Xinhua.

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However you may be more familiar with the world’s-tallest-tower-building, 7-star-hotel-opening, artificial-islands-in-the shape-of-a-world-map-making, or palm-creating lunacy of Dubai, the more famous of the two UAE cities.

Dubai: A growing trend towards sustainability means the UAE tourism sector is going the extra mile to make sure its onward course is in tune with the environment.

Now, the planet's most recognized place branding and tourism campaign will be appearing on JetBlue's advertising. The airline brand's "Empire State of mind" and use of the logo represents the first instance of a corporation being granted permission to use the logo to promote its brand.

Island paradise that could attract wealthier Asian visitors at centre of diplomatic spat.

The Commonwealth Games presents a big branding opportunity for India, but is in danger of missing the bus completely if it doesn't hurry up.

Nation branding expert Simon Anholt told delegates attending last week's Brand Africa 2010 Forum in Johannesburg that branding is the most deceitful word in the English language.

Planet Hospital, the largest medical tourism company in the U.S., is hoping to send more medical tourists to Korean hospitals next year.

The city of Delhi will be marketed as a "brand" to foreign and domestic visitors during the upcoming Commonwealth Games with the help of 40 tourist information-cum-food kiosks across the capital.

This article explains how tourism bosses lured Oprah to Australia.

Palm Springs challenges Vegas' allure

Romania's new ad campaign to jumpstart the country's flagging tourism sector is already dogged by controversy.

Tourist arrivals during the first eight months of this year increased by 46.7 percent to 397,889 from 229,9582 a year ago while arrivals in August increased by 35.7 percent to 55,898 from 41,207 in August 2009, SLTDA data showed. Tourist arrivals from Australasia recorded an increase of 46.6 percent to 20,025 during the first eight months of this year, from 13,657 a year ago. Tourism arrivals are picking up at a rapid pace and the country is facing a challenge to meet the growing demand. Industry expert Hiran Cooray told a recent forum that high construction costs were holding back development of the hospitality industry.

ACCORDING to the Chilean government, 7m people worldwide drink a glass of Chilean wine every day. Many, however, have only the haziest idea about the country where it was produced. In 2005, Chile launched an international country branding campaign in an effort to change that. It was a resounding flop. Most importantly, it just wasn’t true. If Chile has one overriding characteristic, it is predictability. Chileans take pride in their seriousness and reliability, particularly in comparison with many of their more excitable Latin American neighbours. And they see those traits reflected in the sensible economic management and respect for institutions and the law that have made their country the region’s top economic performer since 1982.

DotConnectAfrica announced the launch of the 'Yes to a .africa' East Africa campaign during the 2010 AITEC East Africa ICT Summit held from 7-8 September 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. The initiative is meant to give Africa a regional identity and global presence. Sophia Bekele, executive director, DotConnectAfrica made the announcement during the summit. Africa accounts for 14.9% of the world population. The world has 1.8 billion internet users out of which 86.2 million are from Africa.

This article talks about rebuilding and rebranding the Philippines.

But the Roma deportations also ring with a European timbre. About 10 million to 12 million Roma live in countries that are now members of the European Union, having left their homeland in India in the 11th century. Many of today’s Roma live in Slavic-speaking countries, such as Romania. France is completely within its rights to expel Roma who originate from new EU countries and who have been in France longer than three months – unless they find employment. The media may be focused on this round of deportations, but France sent more than 11,000 Roma packing in 2009, and 8,000 in 2008.

The country is now working to become the African hub of information technology by the year 2020, a growth strategy modeled after the "Asian Tiger" economies of the 1980s and 1990s.  There is also a monthly day of national service, called Umuganda, during which citizens contribute to public works such as planting trees and cleaning streets.

Marketing cannot be limited to individuals or enterprises. Pakistan is in dire need of a new image and nation branding can help build it.

South Africa's government statistics department said that there was a 55.3 percent increase in income earned by the accommodation industry in June 2010 compared to June 2009.

A Pacific Coast beach town has been playing host to the crew and cast of CBS-TV's 'Survivor.' It's all hush-hush, but fits in with a government push to market Nicaragua for tourism and investment.

 Switzerland tourism is benefiting from airport strikes and protests in Europe.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has recently announced a new campaign, “Smile” that will play on the country’s long-established image as “The Land of Smiles.”

Ever since the Ryan Murphy-directed movie released in the US on August 13, international tour operators and travel websites have been modelling leisure packages to India, on the lines of the film, for foreigners.

The Thai government is lifting emergency rule in another three provinces, several months after security forces crushed long-running anti-government protests.

The Vietnam Government is calling on people from all walks of life to get involved in efforts to raise the profile of Viet Nam abroad and promote domestic trademarks in the global market.

This article explains that destination branding requires innovation and integration.

For businesses suffering a business interruption loss due to the BP oil spill, the economic damage to the branding of Gulf Coast businesses is more than just perception.

The ads are the stuff of "Pure Michigan," a campaign to replace images of gutted cities and shuttered factories with visions of vineyards, lighthouses, waterfalls, sand dunes and the nation's longest fresh water coastline.

Designed to boost out-of-state tourism, Pure Michigan has boosted in-state morale.

This article is for destinations and tourism marketers. This article includes hotels and tourism activities and it is about developing the brand and creating direct sales and bookings.

This article explains how different states are trying to get back tourists with a rebranding effort.

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants(CIMA) together with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB) organised a half-day interactive work shop on ‘Managing your Today and Making your Tomorrow’ with the key decision makers of the leisure sector of Sri Lanka with the globally acclaimed award winning tourism personality VisitBritain CEO Sandy Dawe.

The discussion was centred around the key issues facing the tourism industry of the private sector, and how recommendations can be sought by Dawe who successfully managed the industry in UK post the 2005 terror attack in London as well the during times of the financial crisis and now in the midst of staging the 2012 Olympics.

Cape Town Tourism, the city's public-private partnership to drive tourism in the city, certainly impressed with its pro-active, post FIFA World Cup 2010, report back to stakeholders. Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariette du Toit-Helmbold talks to Bizcommunity.com about the local industry's strategy pre-and post world cup and why she believes disappointing occupancy levels doesn't tell the full story.

In the big-money world of mass tourism, Greece's woes are proving a boon for Turkey as vacationers vote with their flip-flops to avoid a country in financial crisis.

Did a Romanian tourism campaign take a leaf out of someone else’s book?

Even in the farthest backwaters of Africa, the Chinese are moving in

The ‘Believe in Thailand' campaign will reiterate that Thailand is still a dynamic and motivational business destination by highlighting the unique strengths and attractions that have made Thailand a globally preferred MICE destination: the world-renowned hospitality and the service capability of the Thai people, Thailand's world-class MICE infrastructure, and the significant financial commitments of the Thai government in support of the industry.

As a result of the rebranding efforts of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, the Dutch island has increase its tourist arrivals by 7.9% for the first quarter and 2.1% in the first 6 months of 2010 versus 2009.

This article explains the importance of presenting the image that matches national identity when it comes to branding.

University of Central Florida economist Sean Snaith has weighed in on the trade group study that said Florida's tourism industry could stand to lose up to $18.6 billion from the BP oil spill.

Greek tourism, vital for the stricken economy and jobs, struggled back to its feet on Monday after a truckers' strike, the latest in a string of disputes which have hit at the heart of the travel sector.

This article discusses Romania's new tourism brand and explains how recently it's been launched in Shanghai.

Tourism has always been a salient economic driver for the Lake Tahoe Basin. However, economists said the region needs to redefine the type of tourists attracts — and that means moving away from marketing efforts geared toward Las Vegas-style gaming and entertainment and heading toward a geotourism-centered approach.

Romania’s tourist brand will be launched on Thursday in Shanghai on the occasion of the National Day of Romania celebrated at the Shanghai World Exhibition 2010, informs a release of the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism (MDRT).

Nobody knows where your country is? Your country is usually mixed up with another one? People have no idea how the character of your country’s people really is? People can’t even tell 3 famous things  from your country? No worries, just read through these 12 recipes to put your country on the map – a true country branding terrorist cookbook, no less.

In their first major announcement regarding Hawaii's newest attraction, Walt Disney Co. have released information on their latest resort. Due to be completed next year, the beachside resort is set to increase tourist numbers to the popular holiday destination.

This article is a collection of opinions and statements made around the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.

This article explains the annual sardine run and seine netters hit Addington Beach in Durban, South Africa.

The Norfolk Broads are to be re-branded as ‘Britain’s Magical Waterland’ in a £20,000 marketing campaign designed to attract more tourists to the region.

In this article Martin Roll explains how new global cities can invent great futures for themselves through strategic branding.

This blog posting answers all the important questions below.

Is America still the ‘New World’, or is it aging and another, fresher ‘New World’ is emerging on the other side of the Pacific? Are the values of America still alive? Does America still live up to the American spirit? Do US immigration officers deliver the real ‘Brand America’ to foreigners? Do embassies abroad convey the idea of the ‘land of the free’? Does America need a refreshment in terms on how it behaves, how it speaks, how it delivers?

India hoped to attract a raft of big sponsors for the Commonwealth Games, which it is hosting this fall. But with just over 70 days to go before the international sporting event, the country's sports authorities are struggling to raise money and are turning to government-controlled companies for financial help.

In this article Wole explains why national airline companies are the key vehicle towards successful nation branding.

There is a grand plan to clean up the Indian capital for the Commonwealth Games - but it includes a very long list of who is to be banished from Delhi.

Brazilians rise to third among international visitors to Florida.

This posting explains Taiwan’s efforts to use gastrodiplomacy as a means to enhance and expand the island’s reputation as a food hub. This is a positive steps to better promotion of Taiwanese culture.

This article stresses how Uganda must market itself as a super brand to give products an edge globally.

Ollie Williams from BBC explains how this is the busiest time of year for sports that make up the Olympic Games, with British athletes preparing for - or doing battle in - major tournaments across the globe.

Building up Vietnam’s image abroad has become a hot topic among patriotic personalities and intellectuals in recent days.  Experts met recently to consider the question of national ‘branding.’

This blog posting explains one of the most curious and successful nation branding efforts was that of the Polish plumber, who came into life in 2004 in France.

This article talks about country branding and which the part the govenment plays when intervening.

Country branding is becoming ever more important, and the opportunity to profile a nation doesn't come much better than the World Cup.

World Cup celebrations can't save Spain's economy.

This article touches on how there is a new more developed South Africa emerging from the 2010 World Cup.

One of the international leading authority on managing national, regional and city identity reputation Simon Anholt has warned government not to waste money on branding campaigns – marketing communications and slogans expected to be driven by the recently launched national logo ‘Botswana –Our Pride, Your Destination’

In this article, Doctor Sarah Britten explains the value of country branding.

Six years ago those of us who put our heads on a block and said that South Africa was more than capable of organising the soccer World Cup were lambasted by naysayers, afro-pessimists and serial whingers.

Spain's run in the World Cup will deliver only a brief surge in consumer spending, analysts predict, but a lasting dividend from projecting Spain's brand name on the world stage during Sunday's final against the Netherlands.

This article discusses which companies were seen as winners of sponsorship around the 2010 World Cup.

Wally Olins, one of the most-known place branding specialists in the world gives his two cents on nation branding.

This article explains how branding is key for a countries success.

Sponsorship of the World Cup is “certain” to boost sales, said Dilbagh Gill, head of sport at Mahindra Satyam, one of the first companies from India to ally its brand with the tournament. Chinese marketers have expressed similar sentiments after an ad from Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. was repeatedly broadcasted onto millions of televisions as the backdrop to the dramatic moment when Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez used his hand to deny Ghana victory in their World Cup quarter- final.

Thousands of Italian farmers have taken part in a demonstration on the Austrian border to protest the importation of food with Italian-sounding branding. These imports, such as mozzarella from Germany that turned blue upon exposure to air, threaten Italy's reputation for quality food.

The Irish Farmers' Association has accused discount retailer Lidl of misleading consumers and undermining Irish poultry producers by selling non-Irish poultry as Irish. How will such deception affect consumers once the truth is out? Surveys have shown an increase in "patriotism", with consumers wanting to buy a product displaying the national flag to support the jobs and the farms of their neighbours during the recent recession, but they may soon learn that their good-willed efforts are going to waste.

This article explains how businesses all around the world used advertising strategies to go global around the World Cup 2010.

South Africa is priding itself on overcoming worries about its high crime rate and its lack of public transport, which critics had contended made the country unsuitable to host the World Cup. With just days until the final, the tournament has gone off without major incident while sparking an outpouring of national unity that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has compared to the euphoria experienced at the fall of apartheid in 1994.

This article focuses on branding for economic development and highlights programs in Milwaukee and Lansing, Mich.

The $700,000 BP-funded marketing campaign, "Curious About Our Coast," seemed to be briefly successful in getting out the message that Pensacola Beach was open for business, its sands as white as ever. Then, on June 23, everything changed as images of the oil spill devastation sped around the globe.

The Commonwealth Games will be the biggest sporting event to take place in India. For companies it will be a unique opportunity to reach out to consumers. But how has the search for sponsorship been going and have the Games proved to be as attractive as promised?

Organizers of the 2010 World Cup hoped the soccer tournament could provide a catalyst for a "re-branding" of South Africa, and arguably there is no group within the Rainbow Nation that needs this makeover more than the Afrikaner community.

In England, no ticket is hotter than the men's final at Wimbledon. Even a mediocre match is an occasion. And there is always the chance to witness history...

This article explains how the Branding Association of Malaysia (BAM) is striving to get more local brands, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), onto the global market.

Just days ahead of the CARICOM heads of government meeting in Montego Bay, St James, tourism stakeholders are calling for collective action on the long-promised regional marketing fund. "Our heads must now step outside the box and find the resources to fund a regional marketing programme that will see us branding ourselves as One Caribbean," Josef Forstmayr, newly elected president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Organisation (CHTA).

Ghana’s soft power in the area of football is increasingly becoming seductive and an important determinant of the nation brand. Football has long become an European cultural export and an active part of their Public Diplomacy efforts but the South Americans are retelling the history of civilization with their feet and Ghana is standing up to the challenge. Brand Ghana now has the burden of holding the fort for Brand Africa’s Public Diplomacy.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) have conveyed their strong support of Thailand and its tourism industry as the country returns to normalcy following political unrest earlier in the year. Attending a Special Meeting on International Solidarity with Thai Tourism, both parties commended the recovery measures undertaken by the Thai Government and the collaboration of the Thai private sector to support tourism in the country and expressed the unwavering solidarity of the international tourism community.

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup® and its vuvuzela horns, South Africa’s in the global spotlight.  To monitor and analyze all the media coverage, South African Tourism™ chose Dow Jones Insight.  Being engaged in the global conversation helps South Africa to react quickly with effective communications strategies and build a positive reputation.

Hosting the first World Cup in the age of Twitter, South Africa has discovered unexpected benefits in its campaign to market the country in record-setting posts by celebrities and fans alike.

With brands increasingly crossing international borders via the internet, marketers may need to fine-tune their strategies to ensure their brands are making the most of the global market.

This article explains how the Australian business space was demanding a Brand Australia Council to refresh the country’s international image and extend the already positive image Australia had on tourist aspects to the other dimensions of the country’s nation brand.

A country's 'brand' matters whether it is an advanced or developing economy. Successful countries identify their image and key products, and prioritize the appropriate policies to strengthen such attributes. This is a more obvious requirement in some sectors, such as tourism, where countries develop hospitality industries and infrastructure such as convenient airport facilities. However, such marketing concepts increasingly apply to countries as a whole.

Speaking at a seminar on a branding campaign sponsored by the Bureau of Foreign Trade under his ministry, Shih said that "I am confident Taiwan companies, with their own brands, will create distinction that will lure large numbers of users within 10 years across the globe." According to Shih, Taiwan businesses have three advantages that will help it establish distinguished marques on the world market.

The concept of the Nigerian village, built in Johannesburg, South Africa, by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) to promote, showcase and sell the country’s rich tourism potential to the world as part of plans to  celebrate the golden independence of Nigeria has, indeed, been a consolation to Nigerians, against the backdrop of the lacklustre performance put up by the Super Eagles, at the ongoing FIFA World Cup.

Winding up the debate on the motion for the House to approve the 2010 estimates of the Malta Tourism Authority, Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said the strategy laid down in the five-year national tourism plan was being followed even though the opposition had declared the plan was obsolete.

As Canada turns 143 years old today, it is grappling with one of the most modern questions: Namely, What is our brand? A few years ago, Agriculture Canada rolled out a program to brand domestically produced foodstuffs with maple leaf icons and the tagline, “Quality is in our nature.” Other government agencies are exploring programs that could brand Canada and its products and services.

This article is about Australia's new multi-million-dollar push to try and boost its market share in the booming Chinese wine market.

The Shanghai World Expo 2010 has been talked up as the best World Expo ever by the one-party state, who regard the $50 billion event as a statement of status in world affairs. Yet, since its meticulously executed opening ceremony in April, the six-month international trade showcase of technology and ideas has been shrouded by a cloud of criticism – largely ignored by corporate media owners – over management and government restrictions of press freedom, which echo the information clampdown before the Beijing Olympics in 2008. While it is readily noted by observers that World Expos have lost some of their luster in recent years, the Shanghai exposition is a key event for China’s country branding and reputation building. Possibly even a platform from which to demonstrate its soft power.

Oregon Coastal Zone Management Director Onno Husing is heading a campaign to "brand" the coast as a place where people can live comfortably and run their business via Internet. He can't wait to start marketing the coast to entrepreneurial baby boomers with empty nests and innovators in Silicon Valley, where many start-ups hinge on broadband alone. His marketing strategy is folded into an OCZMA plan to bolster and expand coastal telecommunications - "to ensure rural communities aren't on the wrong side of the new economy," Husing said.

In the life cycle of branding, a brand is either in one stage of life such as introduction, growth or decline. Nigeria is not found in any of the stages by the standard measurement involved due to the simple fact that we are yet to move from the starting block of introduction since 1960. Here we are unveiling a logo to celebrate 50 years of freedom that is not clear to us all. The basic tenets around milestone celebration is also an opportunity to reflect on state of affairs with the individuals or parties involved, but our case does not seem to be so.

International tourist arrivals grew by 7% in the first four months of 2010 according to the latest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. This growth confirms the recovery trend beginning in the last quarter of 2009 and comes despite the challenging conditions of recent months. While April’s results were affected by the week-long closure of European airspace, globally the pace of recovery is faster than initially expected, driven largely by emerging markets. For the full year 2010, UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals to grow by 3% to 4%.

Despite the warm and fuzzy view of an African union of states by Africans, countries still vie on a national basis for business, tourists and recognition. This nationalism is hardly on show outside the stadiums [of the World Cup]. Branding a country need not involve the tortuous process of getting Fifa accreditation. A Nigerian or Ivorian display of crafts, music, food, pictures and information at markets in SA’s cities, which have been packed with tourists over the past few weeks, would go a long way towards highlighting their countries.

For our country branding we don't need to draw a gargantuan project that as a developing country we cannot really afford...What the government has to do is do whatever is possible with our limited resources to improve our capital city's present status of the second least-livable city in the world up to a reasonably better rank which should be tolerable to a foreign tourist for his enjoying a sojourn for a couple of days and to make our investment climate attractive by offering durable infrastructures, quality labour force and hassle-free utility services needed for industrial efficiency, safety, growth and sustenance in the long term.

This article consits of a slide show that shows America's recovery capitals.

The South African Tourism Chief Executive, Thandiwe January-McLean, said that the football tournament has done well for South African tourism, promoting the country on the world map like never before. He said, “At any one time, more than 400 million people are watching the game. The exposure has been great for us. The World Cup helped us do away with stereotypes about the country."

Potential disaster in Lake Michigan? The fishing and tourism industries received more bad news than just what is happening with the BP Oil Spill - Asian carp were found near Lake Michigan. Asian carp are fish that are very harmful to the environment. There are concerns that the asian carp will invade and ruin the Great Lakes.

Battling the “perception is reality” effect on potential travelers, tourism representatives are developing strategies and incentives to lure tourists to the suddenly reeling Gulf Coast.“Perception often is more damaging that reality,” Roger Dow, head of the U.S. Travel Association, said during a news conference. “Travel is a perception business. We have to work aggressively to stop the oil, and we also have to cap the harm and the long-term harm. We can still save jobs, lessen the long-term damage and shrink that by keeping travel alive. “Americans can help by coming down to this area.”

China is expected to become the world's number one travel destination by 2020 and receive about 130 million international visitors.

How does one brand a nation? “It’s much harder than branding a cellphone or a motor car,” Wally Olins says. “A product is rationally similar (to another) but emotionally different. Also it’s about profit and pushing up its share margin. It has to be effective immediately.” A nation on the other hand has an audience — both internal and external, he says. “There’s tourism involved as well as investment. You have to gauge if you can be effective over 25 years.”

The interest in Kenya [as an international golf destination] is a result of the country winning the Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year Award for 2009 at the International Golf Travel Market last November. Speaking during the tour, IAGTO’s chief executive, Mr Peter Walton, said as an additional benefit, the organisation would look into the possibility of granting complimentary membership to selected private golf course “which comprise an essential part of Golf Destination Kenya’s product.” This, he said, would give the country a greater presence within the golf tourism industry, KGMA has been working at promoting golf as a major tourist attraction in Kenya and is hosting the IAGTO.

The South African economy is receiving a massive boost from international tourists who are in the country for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

South Africa has to reposition itself in a way that it becomes more competitive, says Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Maximizing tourism’s contribution as a main driver of economic growth and development, UNWTO is currently implementing numerous programs to reduce poverty, fight gender inequality, and foster sustainable development.

The one problem with the beach paradises of Mozambique – and probably their saving grace – is that, for anyone from outside the region, they are expensive to get to, and not cheap once you arrive. Less well-known than Kenya, with more cachet than the Seychelles, the country carries almost the same exotic aura as it did when Bob Dylan produced his catchy song Mozambique in the 1970s. The country’s image in the international market is set by the high-end, low-volume island lodges – translucent waters, white sand, lush vegetation and nobody else in sight except for the odd fisherman.

For known countries like Germany or France, participation in the World Cup changes mostly nothing, but for smaller countries their exposure is a great opportunity to introduce themselves to the world and make it to the news.

According to Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov, “The OECD Tourism Committee’s decision to hold its annual meeting in Jerusalem and give it a festive and prestigious touch, together with the invitation to tourism ministers from the member countries, is an important vote of confidence with additional significance for promoting tourism and improving Israel’s image around the world.”

The Brand Oman Management Unit (BOMU) will launch the second phase of Frontline Oman an initiative aimed at improving customer care and customer service in Oman's public sector on June 26 at the Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel with a number of leading government agencies. It is in this regard that BOMU has designed a three-day customer service and customer care program that will involve the Royal Oman Police (ROP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Manpower, Public Prosecution and Muscat Municipality. The three-day programme, delivered by Dr Maen al Qatamin, President and CEO of Knowledge Horizon, a leading international professional training organisation, will provide participants with practical advice and support on improving working relationships with the general public, dealing with difficult situations and handling complaints.

The Halal Malaysia Week, which will firmly position the country as a beacon for the global halal industry is expected to rake in deals and transactions worth more than RM3.8 billion, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He said the joint three-party effort was an excellent example of public-private partnership initiatives to advance the halal industry to the forefront of the global economy.

Yangon is already served by Thai AirAsia out of Bangkok up to twice a day, but the opening of Kuala Lumpur confirms the interest for the Burmese junta to open up the country more to international tourism.

The visit of the British royals, Prince William and his brother Harry, to Botswana in the past week is expected to boost Botswana’s international image as a tourist destination of choice. According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO), Myra Sekgororoane, it would be naïve of anyone to expect an overnight swelling of the country’s tourism market, following the visit of the royals here. “However, on account of the profile and amount of influence the duo command, we are happy that the world will want to see what is there in Botswana that attracts people of their stature to this part of the world,” said Sekgororoane.

After decades building its reputation as the go-to country for electronics manufacturers, China's intention to promote its own brands and produce the world's next Sony or Samsung was obvious during a massive telecoms exhibition in Singapore. Chinese firms led by heavyweights Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corporation flew the Asian giant's flag proudly at the massive annual CommunicAsia and BroadcastAsia trade fairs in Singapore, signalling the rise of a new power in the industry. They were the top foreign exhibitors with 257 booths displaying everything from sleek tablet computers to slim mobile phones with Chinese branding, proof that the country is not just a cheap production centre for Western firms.

In recent years, African artists have seen their work increase in value as they attract global investors. South Africa, in particular, has seen a significant rise in prices paid out for major works, according to Strauss and Co, a Johannesburg auction house selling 20th Century art.

"Design in Europe is almost saturated," he said. "One of the reasons I came back [to Cairo] is there's a great potential here. Everything has to be done, has to be designed, which is not the case in Europe. "Egypt is starting from scratch. It is exciting and we are trying to create a new story, not to repeat something. We are fighting not to do the same as Europe. We need to tell you our story."

Ireland is on the spotlight lately from a nation branding perspective, and not only because of its beautiful green fields and good beer. The country has gone financial turbulences in the last months, and the country is in a process of re-thinking itself.

A guide at the Hector Pieterson memorial in Soweto, Sithole hopes to teach visitors about the sacrifices made there. "Most people know our history, but don't fully know it," she told CNN. "So they're coming here and we sort of embrace with them what really happened because they'll be seeing people like me, other people sharing the same story. "It makes us proud and brave to talk about our history. And the very same history brought the World Cup today."

Kenya expects to borrow from the regional as well as national branding experiences of South Africa. Analysts have said the success of a South African brand at the global level was instrumental in getting the country to host the World Cup this year, despite a tarnished image of the continent. The country has also been able to grow its regions as distinct products, for instance Gauteng being the business hub, Mpumalanga a tourism and historical province while Eastern Cape and Cape Town are known for their high quality wine. Johnston, who is now a nation-branding consultant, noted that that Brand Kenya Board had a huge task in growing a country brand.

At this year's World Cup in South Africa, which kicked off Friday, soccer's governing body FIFA is trying to squelch guerrilla-marketing tactics by those who haven't paid for official sponsorships.

About two dozen striking Greeks were blocking a main avenue in front of parliament, forcing the driver to maneuver awkwardly and deprive visitors of their drive-by photos.It's scenes such as these — road closures, strikes shutting down archaeological sites, the blockading of the main port of Piraeus turning away thousands of cruise passengers — that have horrified people in Greece's vital tourism industry as the country struggles to emerge from a vicious debt crisis that brought it to the brink of bankruptcy.

Generally speaking, the World Cup is unlikely to provide a significant immediate boost to the nation's economy (aside from a sudden spike in tourism-related businesses and temporary construction jobs). However, given the massive amount of money the government has spent to build Cup-related infrastructure (roads, rails, stadiums, etc.), lasting benefits may accrue – in the form of increased foreign investment and more permanent jobs, among others, -- well beyond the end of the games.

Tourism Minister Luiz Barretto Filho told Reuters the South American country expected around 500 million tourists to visit during the 2014 tournament, considerably more than the around 370,000 visitors in South Africa, which is currently hosting the month-long competition. "We hope to get 4 to 4.5 percent of the GDP (by 2014)," Filho said in an interview in Johannesburg.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which recently accepted Israel as a member, has chosen Jerusalem instead of Paris as the venue for its annual conference in October. Tourism ministers from the 31 countries in the OECD will attend the organization’s 86th meeting.“The choice of Israel, and in particular Jerusalem, is a vote of confidence in the Israeli tourism industry and its economy, " said the Israeli Ministry of Tourism.

A national brand should encapsulate the strengths, characteristics, and values that the country has and wants to project. The brand has to be sufficiently broad to capture the essence of a diverse country and sufficiently focussed to make a clear, uncluttered impression and instill brand awareness. The country brand should be a combination of characteristic brands (e. g. high tech, cultural icons, values, sports, etc.), endowment brands (natural resources, unique institutions, history, skilled people) and public policy brands (fiscal policies, tax policies, immigration policies, foreign policies, etc.). With the upcoming G8 and G20 meetings being held in Canada later this month, the world's spotlight will be on Canada. Now is the time to develop a strong Canada brand, organized around the rubric of public policy, endowments and characteristics.

South Africa is no longer the nation a '95 rugby tournament helped to heal, says the author behind 'Invictus'.

Florida tourism is shrinking due to the oily beaches from the BP distaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

This article touches on how critical it is for South Africa to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

South Africa is about to find out whether its multibillion-dollar makeover was worth it, as the long-awaited World Cup soccer tournament opened on Friday.

The Economist's correspondent in Johannesburg, Diana Geddes, recommends books about South Africa in light of her opinion that this is a critical moment for the country, which celebrated its 100th birthday on May 31st and hosts the World Cup from June 11th.

GAZA — For some, it’s the relative modernity — the jazzy cellphone stores and pricey restaurants. For others, it’s the endless beaches with children whooping it up. But for nearly everyone who visits Gaza, often with worry of danger and hostility, what’s surprising is the fact that daily life, while troubled, often has the staggering quality of the very ordinary.

But the economic benefits of the World Cup for South Africans will be very slim. In fact, many citizens — indeed, many Africans of all nationalities — will be excluded, due to expensive tickets and a complicated ticketing system. Though less than 10% of the South African population has internet access, tickets were initially sold online. Local traders have been barred from selling food, beverages, and soccer merchandise outside the stadiums. Local factories were not even awarded the contract to produce the official mascot, Zakumi — instead, the work went to a factory in Shanghai.

South Africa is hopeful to boost its brand image by hosting FIFA World Cup...

The tourism authorities of Macao, Guangdong agreed to continue their efforts and strengthen cooperation in several major areas during a meeting held here on Wednesday...

The Brand Kenya Board is set to undergo restructuring to secure more private sector participation. The move would help market the country as a single destination for a number of activities rather than focusing on different sectors...

This article explains how the 2010 World Cup is a catalyst for South Africa's new national brand image.

Johannesburg, South Africa - It's the countdown to the World Cup. This time Friday will be madness, as a select 94,700 people rush to Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium (the largest stadium in Africa) for the opening match - South Africa versus Mexico. Millions more, who don't have a ticket, will swarm to open-air fan parks around the country and take in the crazy on giant screens.

Domestic tourism set for a boost with as many as one in five Brits being deterred from flying due to volcanic ash disruption...

An executive for oil giant BP on Tuesday pledged another $25 million to help the state's battered tourism industry weather the oil-spill disaster...

South Korea will hold a massive publicity event later this month to promote itself as one of the world’s major tourist destinations, the nation’s tourism chief said Tuesday...

The tourism ministry will be rolling out a US$10million marketing programme today to help to restore the brand ‘Jamaica’. The programme will last for nine months. Initial reports indicate that the tourist industry has been severely impacted by the international press coverage of the west Kingston incursion two weeks ago. According to the tourism ministry, preliminary losses have been put at US$350 million. The tourism minister, Ed Bartlett, says the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) will provide the US$10 million for the marketing programme.

The World Cup, one of the planet's most popular sporting events, is a soccer championship held once every four years. It features 32 of the world's best national teams whose rosters are filled by professionals from clubs around the world. The tournament is organized by FIFA, the international soccer federation that oversees the sport. The monthlong event takes on special significance this year because it will be held in Africa for the first time, cementing soccer's place as the world's game.

Sexual health charities are warning England football fans heading to South Africa - which has one of the worst Aids and HIV rates in the world - to take care. With its new football stadiums, expensive hotels and sandy beaches, South Africa may look like any other tourist hotspot welcoming visitors this summer.

The Indian unit of Hyundai Motor Co. said Monday it incurred a loss of 650 million rupees ($13.9 million) due to a production halt at its south India factory following a protest by 150 workers demanding the reinstatement of employees sacked last December. The protest is another instance of worsening labor problems at India's auto makers as they grapple with intensifying competition and rising raw material costs. It is the third labor unrest at Hyundai Motor India Ltd.'s Chennai plant in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where it employs more than 10,000 people.

Sixteen people, including two policemen, have been injured after a crush outside a South African ground hosting a World Cup warm-up game.

How Country Branding Can Add New Shine to ‘Made in China’ Tag

This article explains how South African wines are getting a boost in visibility from World Cup 201.

Carl Bialik examines the way numbers are used, and abused.

Greece's tourist workers union said Friday it will stage a 24-hour strike on June 30, the latest blow to the important industry as it braces for another weak summer season...

Since embracing full democracy 16 years ago, South Africa has made huge strides. But, says Diana Geddes, not everything has changed for the better.

Keep Britain Tidy the anti-litter lobbying group, is launching a campaign to capitalise on World Cup fever...

Since embracing full democracy 16 years ago, South Africa has made huge strides. But, says Diana Geddes (interviewed here), not everything has changed for the better.

In his new year’s address to the nation, President Jacob Zuma described 2010 as “the most important year in our country since 1994”. With the kick-off on June 11th, just days after the country’s 100th birthday on May 31st, the world’s eyes will be on Africa’s leading economy for the next few weeks.

The ambitions of the three Gulf-based “super-connecting” airlines are bad news for competitors but good news for passengers.

The Super Bowl is not so super to many economists. Experts in the economics of sports say the NFL and its boosters have grossly overestimated its economic benefit.

Less than 24 hours after New York-New Jersey won the 2014 Super Bowl and the shouting was over in Times Square, reports about the game's economic impact were already circulating.

While South Africa is witnessing a surge in national pride as it prepares to host the football World Cup, sport in the country is still heavily divided along racial lines. White South Africans were once keen followers of football, but this changed when racial segregation in the game ended in the 1980s. Leading South African football commentator Mark Gleeson says the situation has changed since then.

Tourism in Jamaica continues to flourish despite drug-fueled violence that is ravaging the island nation's capital city, officials told FoxNews.com. John Lynch, director of the Jamaican Tourism Board, said the violence that has left as many as 30 dead in Kingston had "not yet" affected bookings in the country's four main resort areas: Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio.

“Countries are not brands. They are countries.” So said our columnist Mark Ritson, in a recent examination of the concept of nation branding exercises. Many of you who weighed into the online debate sparked by that particular column took Mark’s side.

Moses Mabhida Stadium’s iconic arch is visible from throughout the city. At the top of the arch is a viewing platform, reached by a SkyCar, that gives visitors 360 degree views.

Unrest in Thailand shrinks tourist arrivals.

Prolonged political uncertainty in Thailand may hurt foreign direct investment.

Article explains how SOuth Africa is not just the 2010 World Cup venue, but also a business destination.

Forbes takes a look at the most powerful team names in sports.

Anti-government protests in Thailand have led Japan Airlines to reduce the number of flights it makes to that country until the violence ends.

Tourism industry representatives expressed concern Monday that visitors to the Kingdom could decrease as Bangkok, a key gateway to Cambodia, descended further into violence.

Mexican tourism revenue may decline for a second year as violent clashes between drug gangs and a weak U.S. job market threaten to spoil its spring break party.

Interviewed at the end of a generally robust first quarter, the heads of the member companies of the Adventure Collection, a consortium of ten industry-leading adventure travel companies, have identified five trends that are defining travel this year.

Omnicom's Serge Dumont Calls for New Markets to Embrace Strategic Communications.

However, Qatar received about one million tourists in 2009, and is hoping to increase tourism arrivals by 20% annually over the next few years, according to Mohammed Al Ansari, Head of Licensing and Classification Tourism Activities at the Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. To help achieve its goal, the country set aside $17bn in 2008 to be spent over a five-year period on new hotels, resorts, and other tourism facilities. Nearly 2,000 luxury rooms came online in Qatar in 2009, and 40 new hotels are scheduled opened this year, which would bring the country's total to about 100, he told AMEInfo.com. Another key to the country's tourism aspirations is the rapid rise of Qatar Airways and the expansion of its airport capacity. The country is spending $14.5bn on building a new international airport in Doha that will have capacity for 24 million passengers annually upon its initial opening in 2012, and when completed in 2015 will be able to process 50 million passengers per year.

Last month’s drills were aimed at proving South Africa’s readiness against any potential threat to the soccer World Cup, due to kick off on June 11. The government, which is spending more than 1.3 billion rand ($171 million) on security, says it hasn’t identified any credible terrorist threat. About 360,000 international visitors will attend the 32-nation event, says Zurich-based FIFA, world soccer’s governing body. The tournament is being held in Africa for the first time.