Destination branding: the comparative case study of Guam and Vietnam. INTRODUCTION In the particular context of the global recession, the tourism business has struggled tough to battle declines inside revenue turnover, especially in countries exactly where inbound tourism is truly a major economic contributor to national output. to enhance their competitiveness, many countries not only market their particular all-natural attractions but throughout addition differentiate their destinations along with branding strategies that will establish their own unique position for you to have more international guests also to boost sales. The challenge with regard to destination marketers can be how anyone can differentiate their offering coming from competitors in the expanding competitive tourism market place. In the tourism literature, many authors claim that tourism destination branding represents probably the particular most obvious implies by which destinations may distinguish by themselves from the mass associated with commodity destinations around the world (Folyey, Fahy, 2004, cited by simply Fyall, Laesk, 2007). However, the particular need to entice visitors needs conscious branding strategies for the different target visitor teams (Kotler, Gertner, 2002; Freire, 2002). several countries were extremely productive in applying the nation branding concept, specifically New Zealand (Lodge, 2002), Spain (Gilmore, 2002), France, Scotland (Olins, 2002), along with the reimaging regarding former Yugoslavia (Hand, 2002), other destinations experienced failures (for instance the case associated with Ontario analyzed by Lodge, 2002). The purpose involving this paper would be to compare and distinction your experience of destination branding on Guam and Vietnam for you to differentiate their tourism products, both destinations possessing many similarities in climate, culture, and beautiful beaches. The Particular paper will concentrate around the key inbound marketplace segment with regard to each destinations: the Japanese segment. The chosen segment on this comparative research is actually justified through its high spending possible which segment will be considered with regard to both destinations their crucial market for you to attract. the perception regarding tourism destination image from Japanese visitors will possibly be analyzed empirically by means of our exploratory qualitative survey with a small group associated with Japanese visitors arriving inside Vietnam and Guam during the identical period regarding time associated with study. Thus, the better knowing about Japanese consumer's behavior, in particular his or her individual perception about the 2 destination images explored within this paper can help marketers to recognize specific destination image attributes and additionally to design suitable destination branding strategy pertaining to this market. Our paper is actually structured as follows: The very first section presentstourism destination branding analysis via a short literature review.The 2nd section analyzes the particular tourism industry performance andcompetitiveness involving the 2 destinations of Guam along with Vietnam. The Actual thirdsection explores via empirical research the particular Japanese consumers'behavior as well as their perception associated with those two destinations. Your lastsection will discuss the actual findings along with suggest remedies in order to differentiatethe destination brand images to always be able to enhance significantly customersatisfaction. TOURISM DESTINATION BRANDING RESEARCH
Tourism destination branding has been viewed because the many powerful tool regarding destination marketers pertaining to differentiation strategies, as places have been increasingly and more substitutable. This specific section presents the complex naturel of the tourism product, and also specially the role of a destination image in the tourism destination branding procedure and its implications for you to present destination advertising strategies adopted by destination marketers. The naturel of a destination product A tourism destination will be defined through the Term Tourism Organization (WTO) as "a physical space where visitors spends at least one night. That includes tourism items such as assistance solutions and attractions, along with tourism sources inside 1 day's return travel time" (WTO 2009, Handbook in Tourism destination Branding). In other words, it is surely an amalgam involving individually produced tourism amenities and solutions such as accommodation, transportation, catering, entertainment along together with a wide array of public items such as organic beauty, socio-cultural surroundings, and atmosphere (Murphy, Pritchard, Smith, 2000). These kinds of tourism items are consumed under the manufacturer regarding the destination (Buhalis, 2000). Within this sense, the particular question involving the applicability in the branding construct regarding consumer merchandise and also services to a tourism destination is the starting place of our study. Basically, academics and also practitioners operating inside the tourism field have strongly agreed that areas may be branded inside the same manner as consumer merchandise (Kotler, Gertner, 2002; Freire, 2009). However, in practice, destination branding can be a complex method due towards the existence and interdependence of multiple stakeholders (1), multiple components and multiple suppliers concerned within the tourism support delivery (Buhalis, 2000). Tourism destination products also convey multiple meanings for you to multiple markets as well as marketplace segments (Fyall, Leask, 2007). At a consequence, destination branding must be considered as a collective phenomenon that involves multiple stakeholders, greater than is normally found inside the branding of consumer merchandise (Ritchie, Ritchie, 1998). The conceptualization associated with image throughout destination branding Because in the complex nature in the tourism item in comparison with that of consumer merchandise within the context of dynamic tourism market and changing visitors' behavior (Buhalis, 2000), your destination branding exercise is furthermore a new complex method made up of marketing activities which support both manufacturer elements such like a logo, a new symbol,.. .and a brandname image connected together with functional, emotional, and experiential advantages in order to create an overall image that influences consumers' decisions (Blain et al, 2005). This procedure will possibly be efficient if destination marketers are in any position to select a steady brand name element mix and, a lot more importantly, for you to develop a unique identity along with personality through positive image constructing that is distinct using his or her company competitive destinations (Cai, 2002, Morrison, Anderson, 2002, cited by simply Marzano). Thus, image perceived through guests is widely considered since the core take in to account destination branding because it influences travelers' purchasing decisions making and sales of tourist services (Jenkins, 1999). This kind of explains a sizable entire body regarding analysis works on the particular image's components and also the formation associated with destination image during the past decade (Crompton, 1979; Gun, 1988; Echtner, Ritchie, 1993; Buhalis, 2000; Freire, 2002; Hall, 2002; Kotler, Gertner, 2002; Lodge, 2002; Pike, 2008; Frochot, Kreziak, 2008; Le, Cooper, 2009).
The concept regarding destination image Generally, image is viewed as "an attitudinal construct consisting of an individual's mental representation regarding knowledge, feelings and global impressions with regards to an item or a destination" (Bagolu, McClearry, 1999, cited simply by Frochot, Kreziak, 2008, lines 20-24). Tourist destination image refers for that reason any set of individual tangible and intangible attributes, including global sensation regarding the destination in which forms the ultimate composite image (Crompton, 1979; Echtner, Ritchie, 1991; Freire, 2007). In this sense, like the image of products or even services, destination image is composed of your sum involving attributes for example physical as well as human features including mountains, beaches or helpful people (Echtner, Ritchie, 1993). However what specifically is particular inside destination image construct is that it's both multi-dimensional and also dynamic nature. The idea is multidimensional because it comprises associated with interrelated aspects such wedding planner as cognitive, affective and conative components. This represents a new mixture of the knowledge, feeling, belief and also opinions, ideas, anticipations and impressions that people have about a named place (Crompton, 1979; Freire, 2002). Much More importantly, it just isn't static nevertheless dynamic (Freire, 2002) because it results from its geography, history, proclamations, art and music, famous citizens and other features (Kotler, Gertner, 2002). Moreover, destination image is also considered as getting a repertoire involving brand associations held in the thoughts associated with the consumer that play a new significant role within consumer behavior, formation associated with satisfaction, support quality and also future suggestions (Buhalis, 2000; Pike, 2008). It is worth noting that the image perceived through visitors might notbe automatically just like that anticipated simply by destination marketers.Nevertheless, analysis upon consumer behavior reviewed through Pike enhancesthe significance of actual image "since tourism services may onlycompete by way of images, it is imperative marketers realize that"perception is reality" (lines 3, 4, Pike, 2008). The formation associated with destination image When performing research about the formation associated with destination image, Gun (1988) was genuinely thinking about studying its dynamic procedure associated with the 3 phases in the purchasing decision creating process. With the pre-purchase, organic images are formed by travelers on his or her own through their past experiences along with tourist destinations, and also via different sources of knowledge for example news reports, movies, newspaper articles, word regarding mouth, etc. just before determining to check out a tourism destination. Then, these organic images tend to be transformed to induced images that are created via information received via external sources such as travel agents, brochures, etc.). Finally, in the post-purchase (when the vacation is over), guests possess again modified their own image in in order to a more realistic, complex and also differentiated 1 known as "actual" or "modified" image. Gun's analysis function has helped destination marketers manage effectively their manufacturer image by simply distinct ways. First, these people should focus on modifying your induced image since they are capable associated with doing small alter the organic image. Second, among the three phases within the image formation process, the final phase is actually a lot more fascinating regarding marketers for you to focus on since a new complex image may be shown to be more varied as well as more complete. Third, this image changes over time. Therefore, it is important regarding destination marketers to be able to manage changes in the image perceived through the target market (Buhalis, 2000; Pike, 2008).
Implications on destination branding strategies The complex nature associated with tourist items and also destination brand name image has implications on destination branding strategies for marketers. First, amongst destination image attributes, the particular empirical literature points out that will attributes associated for you to human dimension such as employees working within the tourism sector (defined through Freire as "local people") and also local residents are generally the most important aspect that might influence significantly the destination image (Kilter, Donald, Rein, 1993; Freire, 2009) whilst physical attributes for example landscape, accommodation, and also catering are already increasingly standardized and also do not assure consumption. In Order To produce a positive image, tourism organizations along with entrepreneurs often motivate along with train their staff. Besides, the particular attitude regarding "local residents" seems a lot more important compared to various other brand elements like a logo, any tagline, and also physical and functional attributes of the tourism goods for you to create customer satisfaction (Kilter, Donald, Rein, 1993). Second, credited for the complexity and also the interaction involving tourism stakeholders concerned in the destination branding exercise (Buhalis, 2002), destination marketers should believe about destination branding as a collaborative effort within regards to advance of shared image of the destination across stakeholders consequently regarding ensure consistency throughout the destination brand name image delivered (Blain, 2001; Deslandes, 2003; Kaplanidou, Vodgt, 2003; Morgan, Pritchard, Piggott, 2003). THE TOURISM INDUSTRY'S PERFORMANCE: A New COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GUAM AND VIETNAM Over yesteryear decades, Guam and also Vietnam, both positioned in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as possessing lovely nature, a new tropical climate and rich culture, are usually well-liked tourism destinations regarding foreigners, especially your Asian travelers. for the small island just like Guam, the largest island within the Mariana Archipelago, using a little population (around 180,000 inhabitants), your tourism industry features experienced a substantial expansion since the actual 1980s. while Guam achieved its peak tourism quantities along with a lot more than 1.3 million arrivals between 1995 and 1997, Vietnam, situated inside South East Asia, began its very first experience in boosting inbound journey along with 150,000 foreign visitors, a really modest number associated with arrivals. Since then, there continues to always be able to be any comparable upward trend observed inside the two locations inside the context regarding steady growth of arrivals recorded inside the Asia-Pacific region (2). However, their own tourism sector had been specifically sensitive to external shocks. in fact, it grew steadily using three declines caused by the Asian financial crisis in 1998, from the SARS epidemic inside 2003 and the global economic recession since 2008 (Exhibit one along with 2). The Particular unprecedented boom in the number of international tourist arrivals in both destinations could end up being explained generally simply by substantial economic growth, favorable government policies, and marketing efforts to promote areas simply by both travel companies as well as public tourism organizations. Particularly within the case of Vietnam, it's the result of outdoors door policy in order to offer the business since the actual early 1990s which is reflected within its tourism openness score of 4.9 (ranked as 66/133 inside 2007). Vietnam had turn out in order to be one regarding the world's leading emerging tourism locations inside the period associated with 1995 to be able to 2004 (World Tourism Organization, UNWTO, 2005 Edition). The rise in international tourist arrivals throughout Guam and Vietnam has been accompanied with
a significant increase in tourism income and therefore has contributed impressively for their country's economic performance. For Guam, its reliance upon tourism will be remarkably high. Its annual revenue regarding tourism averages a lot much more than USD1.2 billion and represents nearly 60% of its GDP. 9% in the labor force may be working in this sector. Regarding Vietnam, its annual grow rate associated with around 9.2% will be fairly high compared with the average of the Asia-Pacific region (6.5%). in 2008, international tourism receipts reached accurate documentation involving VND64, 000 billion (equivalent to end up being able to USD3.55 billion) according to Vietnamese statistical data (GSO, 2009). The idea accounts for 4.3% regarding Vietnam's GDP and has created more as compared to 1 million jobs accounting for 3.3% of the total labor force. However, your share involving tourism in Vietnam's GDP remains relatively low inside the Asian-Pacific region that consolidated its second position in terms associated with international tourism receipts. Inside fact, tourism contributed 14.8% associated with Cambodia's GDP, 8.4% associated with Thailand's along with Hong Kong's GDP or perhaps 9% associated with Malaysia's GDP throughout the same period. A closer look at the particular variety of arrivals regarding one hundred inhabitants (international tourist density) suggests that it really is a lot more lower that those of its various other ASEAN members (5/100 against 13/100 inside Cambodia, 22/100 within Thailand, 77/100 throughout Malaysia, as well as 167/100 within Singapore. More interestingly, it's marginal in the huge event it is in contrast to become able to 556 international arrivals per 100 inhabitants in Guam (3). This kind of impressive fact about Guam's tourism is it may be in the position to stabilize your economy with regard to a long period involving time. In terms of visitors-mix, even though the two locations attract mostly Asian travelers, the actual inbound industry involving Vietnam appears significantly more diversified, which includes important goal markets via Asia, Europe, America, and Australia. Guam features concentrated around the Japanese segment that accounts with regard to 80% of its inbound marketplace for that final 3 decades (Exhibits 3, 4). In reviewing the tourism lifestyle cycle, if Vietnam may be reaching the growth stage, Guam has recently reached its maturity stage. The ability to keep on top of the high number of visitors in Guam is explained by the audio branding and also online advertising strategy through a new fiveyear Strategic Plan in which outlines the particular development of a cohesive destination brand name image for Guam. According to the marketing director regarding GVB, the aim of creating destination value together with pricing energy via intensifying pride of location using a unified manufacturer image is crucial for you to Guam's tourism industry. In Order To achieve this goal, any harmonized articulation amongst tourism stakeholders, each private and also public including the resident community, with a new shared long term vision seems being the primary element element involving good results in Guam's branding exercise. Like Guam, Vietnam also received significant support from its authorities to advertise the particular sector throughout terms of each spending budget and instructions regarding designing an integrated advertising communication strategy in order to improve your number of foreign visitors. Despite the actual high potential in the tourism sector to contribute towards the Vietnamese economic growth, Vietnam remains apparently less competitive within the global market. [FIGURE one OMITTED] [FIGURE two OMITTED] The travel and also Tourism Competitiveness Index 2009 (TTCI) published by the world Economic
Forum (WEF) exhibits that Vietnam ended up being ranked just 89 among 133 countries throughout 2009, left way at the particular rear of through most of their own ASEAN member counterparts. Still, it's mostly price competitive whilst other sustainable aspects like environment protection, safety along with security, health as well as hygiene, and also tourism infrastructure tend to be appraised as "poor". Particularly, street visitors accidents, quality of roads, and excellence of schooling system seem the most striking issues for the Vietnamese tourism industry. Regarding instance, Vietnam was ranked 116/133 out with the comparative countries for road visitors accidents, and 102/133 with regard to top quality associated with roads. Such figures have their power in demonstrating clearly your resources of insufficient attractiveness associated with the Vietnam tourism industry: poor tourism product offerings combined with low top quality involving services delivery both throughout physical and human tourism infrastructure. Most importantly, Vietnam provides not yet built a solid destination brand image in the perception associated with foreign travelers (Nguyen Anh Tuan, 2009) and it has not necessarily yet implemented any audio national destination branding strategy embracing "the corporate spirit" for you to become a lot more attractive in the eyes associated with foreign travelers since the tourism literature suggests. Since any matter of fact, within the last quantity of years, Vietnam offers been making tremendous commercial efforts to promote the united states image. Local reports show that the actual budget for tourism promotions in 2009 will be 25 VND billions. Thus, Vietnam will be ranked 47/133 considering the amount of international fairs and also exhibitions held inside the country annually. This indicates in which Vietnam participates actively within marketing your Vietnamese tourism market. Nonetheless inside the global perspective, Vietnam had been ranked 109/133 throughout relation to journey along with tourism government expenditures as a percentage with the total budget inside 2008. As Well As the particular effectiveness of marketing as well as branding to draw in tourists can be ranked 62/133 regarding Vietnam, left way behind from Singapore (3/133), Hong Kong (5/133), Malaysia (12/133), Thailand (14/133) or perhaps Indonesia (31/133). This is mainly explained through the significant gap between your tourism destination brand image anticipated by Vietnam's destination marketing organizations and the particular image perceived through foreign visitors. in fact, the particular message communicated since the early 2000's that includes respectively "Vietnam, the destination regarding a new Millennium", "Welcome to Vietnam", "Vietnam, the particular hidden Charm" with most the initial logo showing a new Vietnamese girl wearing traditional dress doesn't appear sufficiently special to differentiate through its various other Asian competitors. CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND ACTUAL DESTINATION IMAGE FROM THE PERCEPTION OF JAPANESE VISITORS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY Destination branding research suggests that the particular image perceived by visitors influences significantly travel buy decisions. Therefore, understanding destination images held by customers is important for destination marketers to be able to design efficiently destination branding strategies. In Order To do so, we propose an empirical research design together with a qualitative survey exploring the actual Japanese visitors' consumption patterns also as his or her perception with regards to the two destinations' brand images that will assist us throughout modernizing our understanding in this market. Pertaining To Vietnam, since absolutely no previous academic studies have centered on the perception regarding Japanese guests toward your tourist product consumption and also image formation, our exploratory qualitative study measuring the little taste of Japanese visitors' perceptions, motivations, and attitudes is actually justified. With Regard To Guam, we referred for you to the results regarding the marketplace research given by GVB in the actual course of the identical period from Qmark Study (4). In your empirical literature, a pair of strategies may be used to investigate tourist behavior,
structured and unstructured (Echtner, Ritchie, 1991), but the structured approach continues to always be able to be chosen as it is actually relevant to our comparative research purpose. This methodology is "easy to administer, to facilitate comparisons in between the 2 destinations, but it will not include holistic aspect involving image" (Le, Cooper, 2008, lines 12, 17, 19, pp.41). We design the particular questionnaire regarding Vietnam by adopting the actual outline in the questionnaire utilized in Guam by Guam Visitor Bureau (GVB, 2009) in order to collect information regarding motives, tourist attraction's perception, traveler types, travel companion, travel frequency, length associated with stay, trip expenditures, too as visitors' level associated with satisfaction regarding tourists' products right after visitors' traveling experience. Regarding the interviewees, for that a couple of destinations, departing Japanese visitors had been randomly motivated to fill out the actual questionnaire after their own trip. for Vietnam, one hundred questionnaires had been distributed to Japanese visitors that traveled throughout Vietnam throughout the time period regarding April-May 2009. 63 questionnaires out of one hundred were returned. The profile regarding visitors participating on this study had been mostly middle income, and male and also female respondents had been equally distributed. Interestingly, small adults now are the trigger of a big reveal of Japanese arrivals both inside Vietnam and in Guam as 50 % of travelers going to Guam and Vietnam are within their 20s (50% via 20 in order to 29 yrs . old along with 30% from 29 for you to 39 many years old). The Actual popularity regarding those two locations among young Japanese folks could be explained through a couple of principal reasons. Your first reason may always be the reputation of each Guam and Vietnam like a safe home (that is considered as the crucial criteria involving destination option for Japanese travelers). the 2nd cause will end up being the developing fascination regarding this group (young professionals, students, new graduates, etc) inside savoring oneself economically while on a trip abroad because associated with the limited income. These arguments are generally validated by simply Hakuhodo survey indicating Guam and also Vietnam are ranked by simply Japanese visitors as destinations pertaining to reduced travel budget (5). The striking distinction observed in travel companion pattern is that more Japanese visitors (30%) travel alone in order to Vietnam rather than Guam (2%). another interesting distinction revealed is always that Japanese visitors tend to visit to end up being able to discover Vietnam with their workplace colleagues (15%) more when compared with Guam (5%). These People tend to savor travel experiences using their family, which includes young kids throughout Guam (52%) when compared with throughout Vietnam (25%). This may be explained through shorter journey time and better food safety and wellness circumstances offered inside Guam as compared to throughout Vietnam as Japanese always have excellent concerns regarding health and hygiene. most of which chose the free period bundle tour (for Guam) or even the full package (for Vietnam) than the group tour. Japanese guests often remain more time within Vietnam (5 days) compared to in Guam (3 days). A Lot More than half of the respondents in the 2 samples said that it was their initial trip to Vietnam or perhaps Guam. Your rest possess already visited Vietnam as well as Guam numerous times, mostly among two for you to 4 times. Particularly 4 respondents in the taste conducted within Vietnam have returned to always be able to Vietnam for 6 to 10 times. This particular implies that both Vietnam and Guam like a tourism destination brand name use a great image for repeat purchases. Japanese tourists commit twice as much when in Guam (200 USD per day per pax) when compared with throughout Vietnam pertaining to on-island expenditures. Within general, they save money for meals as well as beverages compared to regarding optional tours as soon as in Vietnam. Throughout Guam, they devote half (48%) for gifts as well as souvenirs, 17%
for food along with 11% regarding optional tours. Motivations in order to visit both locations are very different. For one-fourth in our sample, these people chose Vietnam because that they enjoyed their previous visits as well as believed that will Vietnam is a safe home in order to invest their vacation. One-third highly appreciated your expense of the package deal tour. This ensures that small budget segment, such as specifically young professionals whom tends to visit on your current own is actually most likely favorable in order to visit Vietnam. This particular argument will be supported by the literature that links destination brand decision generating with travelers' option criteria and motives (Pike, 2002). Besides, purchasing can in addition be an important motive. 19% love shopping. 15% associated with respondents go to Vietnam for you to visit pal or relatives, as well as 8% visit Vietnam pertaining to business. only 2% are generally motivated by promotional programs launched by the Vietnamese Visitor Office. Other reasons to become able to visit Vietnam are usually delicious meals, club services, climate, and recommendations by friends. Within contrast, probably the most essential causes for choosing Guam are generally all-natural beauty, price, pleasure and also brief travel time, prior trips, suggestions via friends, wedding and also honeymoon packages. Safety in addition seems being a powerful motivator in order to visit Guam. In short, motivations in order to visit Vietnam or perhaps Guam are influenced far more by visitors' past experiences, friends, and also destination image attributes perceived instead of promotions launched by the destination marketing organizations. Regarding attitudes towards tourist attractions, we find out that 52% associated with these surveyed tend to be keen on Vietnamese specialties. they are excited concerning Vietnamese food, particularly special Vietnamese dishes such as Pho (Vietnamese noodle), fried as well as fresh spring rolls. Along With 32% love shopping. 27% enjoy Vietnamese landscape and also beaches along with 14% like to visit museums. Simply 8% choose cultural festivals. Some Other activities that entice Japanese tourists are: Vietnamese buildings, fire works, food, along with good people. When in Guam, that they adore beaches (60%), the relaxing atmosphere (41%), purchasing (40%), price (40%), short period associated with time involving time travel (48%), and water sports (19%). Finally, after encountering touring throughout Guam, they will express high satisfaction for clean beaches (the suggest regarding fulfillment score throughout the Likert seven point rating scale is 5.6), ease of having around (mean=5.4), along with safety involving strolling in night (mean=5.0) much more than price (mean=4.7) (6). They Will specifically were satisfied with the staff at hotels along with restaurants. Meanwhile, for Vietnam, Japanese visitors express clearly his or her dissatisfaction with regards to ease to getting around and poor support quality along with attitudes regarding employees throughout hotels when compared with a lot more expert support delivery along with tourist infrastructure in Guam. Just one-third are usually apparently very satisfied or happy about the cleanliness of parks along with beaches. Nevertheless, 16% are generally very dissatisfied or even much less happy although the others tend to be neutral. Since way as ease of having around, a lot much more than 1 / 2 of respondents aren't satisfied at all, particularly although obtaining throughout the streets. Basically, two-third will be satisfied and extremely happy with all the quality of tours, of hotel accommodations and in addition the price of merchandise throughout Vietnam. However, it is worth noting the particular dissatisfaction associated with 14% concerning the bad service quality and attitudes of employees inside hotels. The higher than study upon Japanese visitors' perception about destination brand suggests that "natural beauty" (clean and beautiful beaches), "relaxing atmosphere", "pleasure", "short moment travel", "shopping experience", "safety", "water sports", "good infrastructure", "good local employees" has contributed towards the positive image regarding Guam. Regarding
Vietnam, "safety", "friendly people", "delicious cuisine", "reasonable prices", "good climate", and "rich culture" (cultural festival, Vietnamese buildings,... ) form positive destination image components. However, "bad attitude involving employees" within hotels, "poor tourism infrastructure", "lack regarding highway safety" and "poor hygiene conditions" get caused your negative image involving Vietnam comparing along with professional support delivery, good infrastructure and safety inside Guam. Our results are usually consistent together with prior empirical research function conducted by simply Le Tuan Anh as well as Cooper (2009). Their importance-performance analysis reveals that beautiful landscapes and relaxing atmosphere, lower prices, delicious cuisine, and friendliness toward Japanese people, new experiences, and rich culture tend to be key features which contribute positively to Vietnam manufacturer image. Inside contrast, the situation regarding cleanliness too as services high quality may spoil other positive images associated with Vietnam. Thus, depending on actual destination brand image perceived by simply Japanese visitors, Guam appears a tourist destination of preference with regard to leisure and short journey time for your Japanese segment who're inspired by simply natural beauty, pleasure, geographical proximity. Meanwhile, Vietnam seems a popular selection for the smaller budget segment that will cares about worth for money. Our findings are generally consistent along with Hakuhodo's survey of brand strengths involving international tourism locations project conducted in 20047 exactly where Guam had been ranked as the second best brand destination after Hawaii as well as just before South Korea, Australia along with France due in order to the far higher infrastructure worth compared to the others. Within relation to reduced travel budget, Vietnam is actually among various other Asian destinations for your Japanese segment as it appears along with India, Mexico, Thailand, and Bulgaria among the very best country brand name for value regarding money. (8) DISCUSSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The above analysis in the Japanese inbound marketplace of Vietnam and Guam and also the investigation concerning the consumers' perception about destination image indicates implications about destination branding strategies for destination marketers also as recommendations from lessons learned from the Guam branding exercise to become able in order to boost the number of new arrivals as well as repeat visits for Vietnam. Understanding the actual essential role associated with the human element in destination branding Our field research discovered lower customer happiness in Vietnam with your attitude of individuals delivering tourist services, especially employees within hotels throughout Vietnam. in this type of condition, Vietnam offers to confront your negative image concerning employees inside hotels. Therefore, tourism organizations should train local individuals operating inside the tourism industry for you to enhance customer satisfaction and to enhance destination brand image as advised in the empirical literature review. Even though local residents appear friendly for you to Japanese visitors, tourism organizations should buy them actively involved with creating the positive destination image. Improving the general encounter with the destination The degree of client satisfaction about a destination brand depends about the assessment regarding the general experience of the destination versus expectations as well as perceptions. Therefore, it's extremely important pertaining to destination marketers for you to enhance the particular positive destination image in order to meet visitors' expectations (Morgan, Pritchard, 1998; Sealon, 1997,
cited by Buhalis, 2000). Actions are generally necessary to change the perceptions involving Japanese visitors concerning street safety along with hygiene problems within Vietnam. If the Japanese market appears clearly a higher investing prospective market for Vietnam, in addition, it is very demanding as well as needs higher quality service and concerns about safety with destination while traveling abroad (GVB, 2009).9 The current tourism advertising strategy adopted through the Vietnamese authorities emphasizing the many popular promotions equipment widely applied in the tourism sector which includes PR, advertising as well as trade fairs targeting foreign visitors in various markets, seems insufficient and inefficient within boosting sales and also creating a solid nation brand. Due to the particular changing tourism industry too as consumer behavior, Ritchie, Ritchie (2002) indicates the need for a transfer coming from promotion-oriented destination marketing to an even more holistic, strategic approach so as to attain sustainable competitive advantage. The tourism brand name creating exercise, a collective process and lessons learned from Guam Simply Because of the interdependency among stakeholders, harmonized collaboration for you to develop the particular branding plan currently is thought in order to be fundamental primary factor involving good results (Lodge, 2002; Baker, Cameron, 2008). Destination branding can be a collective exercise which involves destination marketing organizations, namely service suppliers, community, visitors, employees along with nearby residents that tend to be able to create rewards certainly not simply to visitors but throughout addition to all of the actual tourism stakeholders. Many importantly, "the absence of unity involving the extremely best may cripple a national branding initiative" (lines 20-21, p. 384, Lodge, 2002). Within this sense, lessons discovered from the Guam branding exercise focusing from your development of your confluence of images to the involvement involving the city inside embracing the brand name as well as engendering neighborhood support are beneficial with regard to Vietnamese policy makers to enhance his or her country brand name image. CONCLUSION The developing global competition within the tourism market has been making tourism services and products a lot more or perhaps less homogeneous. To enhance customer satisfaction as well as hence to become able to increase the range of visitors, tourism locations have been attempting to differentiate their brand name image. in this context, each locations (Guam along with Vietnam) possessing many parallels in climate, culture, and beautiful beaches, have been instituting initiatives to be able to differentiate his or her tourism offerings, not only in the eyes of their particular very yielding Japanese market but furthermore other å³é島å©ç¦® target segments. Guam may be gradually succeeded in building a solid tourism brand. Inside the case regarding Vietnam, your lack of uniqueness regarding destination brand image features restricted the variety of repeat visits; long-term growth and also profitability for your inbound tourism sector, and contains elevated problems to end up being able to differentiate itself from competitive offerings from its Asian neighbors. Our findings within this comparative research revealed your gap between the desired destination brand image and the actual image perceived by Japanese visitors. Additionally they suggest possibilities for Vietnam to reinforce an optimistic image to end up being able to match the visitor's needs. Lessons learned via Guam's expertise to be able to elaborate the particular destination branding method through obtaining the greatest neighborhood participation throughout this effort along with strong as well as successful coordination of the stakeholders are useful
regarding Vietnam. Because Of towards the complexity of the branding process and the dynamic nature in the tourism marketplace and travelers' behavior, the collective branding exercise ought to bear any "corporate mind" together with carefully constructed values and also long term strategies that focus on visitors' vacation experiences as opposed to on promoting destination itself. Our contribution via this analysis consists of suggesting successful paths into a country's branding strategy and tourism development for emerging markets for example Vietnam to become able to end up being able to increase the particular quantity of arrivals too regarding enhance consumer satisfaction. The limitations of our own analysis perform are generally twofold. First, the destination image analyzed inside our empirical study will become the general or "modified" image perceived in the post-purchase stage of travel acquiring process. Although real modified image tend to be realistic and sophisticated as suggested from the literature, research on "induced image" as well as "organic image" that are formed during the pre- and also post-visit perceptions involving exactly the same sample of visitors ought for you to be furthermore explored with regard to better knowing regarding the complete destination image formation process. Second, image attributes perceived by simply Japanese readers are functional, along with physical rather than emotional along with psychological. Besides, the actual holistic image offers been ignored. The exploratory survey accustomed to investigate your Japanese visitor's behavior throughout Vietnam is actually qualitative. Further analysis work will incorporate a quantitative survey using a representative taste to validate our qualitative findings. Our second step may also try to measure destination image comprehensively simply by capturing all involving its components generated through the 3 levels with the image formation process. REFERENCES Baker, M.J. & E. Cameron (2008). Critical success factors in destination marketing. Tourism as well as Hospitality Research, 8, 79-97. Blichfeldt, B.S. (2003). Unmanageable Tourism Destination Brands. IME working Paper 47/03. College involving Southern Denmark, Esbjerg. Buhalis, D. (2000). marketing the actual competitive destination involving the future. school regarding Management, Tourism Research, university regarding Surrey. Cai, L.A. (2002). Cooperative branding regarding rural destinations. Annuals involving Tourism Research, 29(3), 720-742. Caldwell, N. & J.R. Freire (2004), the difference between branding the country, a new region and a city: Applying the particular Brand Name Box Model. Journal involving Manufacturer Management. 12(1), 50-61 Crompton, J.C. (1979). An assessment in the image regarding Mexico as a vacation destination and the influences associated with geographical spot upon that image, Journal associated with Journey Research, 17 (1), 18-23. Dimanche, F. (2007), Strategic Development associated with Tourism through Events: Making competitive benefit for your destination. An International Conference about Destination
management, Budapest, Hungary, 7-9 February 2007. Ekinci, Y. & S. Hosany (2006). Destination Personality: An Application of Manufacturer Character regarding Tourism Destinations. Journal of Travel Research, 45(2), 127-139. Esu, B.B. & V.M.E. Arrey (2009). Branding Cultural Festival as a destination Attraction: a case study associated with Calabar Carnival Festival. International Enterprise Research, 2(3), 182-192. Euromonitor International (2009), Tourism flows Inbound-Vietnam, Country Sector Briefing, February 2009 Echtner, C. M. & J.R. Ritchie (1991). The Actual meaning and measurement regarding destination image. Journal associated with travel Studies, 2(2), 2-12. Freire, J.R. (2009). Nearby People, the critical dimension pertaining to place brands. Journal of brand Management, 16(1), 420-438. Frochot, I. & D. Kreziak (2008). Customers' perceptions of ski resorts' images: implications pertaining to resorts' positioning strategies. Tourism and also Hospitality Research, 8(4), 120-131. Fyall, A. & A. Leask (2007). Destination marketing: Future issues-Strategic challenges. Tourism along with Hospitality Research, 7, 50-63. Jenkins, O. H. (1999). Comprehending along with measuring tourist destination images. the International Journal of Tourism Research, 1, 1-15. Gilbert, D. (1990). Strategic marketing and advertising planning with regard to national tourism. Your Tourist Review, 1, 18-27. Gilmore, F. (2002). Any country-Can it's repositioned? Spain-The success story regarding country branding. Journal associated with brand Management, 9(5), 281-293. GSO (2009) Guam visitors Bureau, Japan Visitor Tracker Exit profile, FY 2009 Data Aggregation, QMark Research Hakuhodo's survey involving manufacturer strengths associated with international tourist destinations with Tourist Destination brand Analyzer, January 31, 2005 Hall, D. (2002). Manufacturer development, tourism as well as national identity: the re-imaging involving former Yugoslavia. Journal of Brand Name Management, 9 (4-5), 323-334. Harrison, S. (2002). Culture, tourism, along with nearby community, the heritage identity of the Isle regarding Man. Journal of Brand Name Management, 9 (4-5), 355-371.
Henderson, J. C. (2001). Creating as well as managing little islands as tourist attractions. Tourism along with Hospitality Research, 3(2), 120-131. http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/tourism/14 Jacobsen, B. P. (2009). Investor-based place brand equity: a theoretical framework. Journal regarding Location Management as well as development, 2(1), 70-84. King, J. (2002). Destination advertising organizations-Connecting the experience as opposed to marketing your place. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 8(2), 105-108. Kotler, P. & D. Gertrude (2002). Nation as brand, item and beyond: a location marketing along with advertising and brand management perspective. Journal of Brand Management, 9(4-5), 243-261. Koestler, P., D.H. Aider, & I. Rein (1993). marketing Places, The 3 Press, N.K. Lodge, C. (2002). Good Results and also failure: the particular stories of the two countries. Journal involving brand Management, 9(4-5), 372384.
Le T. A. & M. Cooper (2009). Vietnam's image as a tourism destination throughout Japan: an analysis associated with Japanese journey guidebooks and brochures, along with attribute Importance-Performance. Nguyen, Anh Tuan (2009). Xay dung va quang ba thuong hieu Du lich Viet Nam. Vu Lu hanh, Tong cuc Du lich Olins, W. (2002). Opinion piece: Branding the nation-the historical context. Journal regarding brand Management, 9(4-5), 241-248. Papadopoulos, N. & H.Lop (2002). country equity and country branding: problems and prospects. Journal of Manufacturer Management, 9(4-5), 294-314. Pike S. (2008), Destination marketing: an integrated marketing communication approach, Elsevier
Inc., First Edition. Ritchie R. & J. Ritchie (2002). Any Framework with an Industry supported destination marketing Details System. Tourism Management, 23, 439-544. Supphellen, M. & I. Nyaardsvik (2002). Academic paper: Testing brand slogan, conceptual development along with empirical illustration regarding a simple normative model. Journal of Brand Name Management, 9(4-5), 385-395. Tran Binh (2009). Du lich Viet Nam, cong nghiep khong khoi Viet Nam, Phan 1: Boi canh phat trien va vi the kinh te. 08, 2009, Dien Dan Forum, BP 50, 92340 Bour-la-Reine, France World Economic Forum (2009). Your travel & Tourism Competitiveness Statement Globe Trade Organization (2009). Handbook on Tourism destination Branding http://www.vietnamtourism.edu.vn/tin-tuc-u-lich/11785-de-quang-bao -du-lich-truoc-het-can-quang-ba-vedat-nuoc.html Thi Lan Huong Bui, College involving Guam Gerald S. A. Perez, Guam Guests Bureau ENDNOTES (1) Stakeholders identified by the world Tourism Organization are political, commercial, journey organizations and also residents (WTO, 2009). (2) between 1995 and 2007, the Asia-Pacific region's reveal of total international arrivals increased from 18.7% to end up being able to 25.7% (Statistical yearbook pertaining to Asia and the Pacific, 2009) (3) Source: GSO (2009), Statistical Yearbook regarding Asia and the pacific 2009, Calculations by the author (4) The random quantitative survey taste associated with 1,985 departing Japanese visitors with Guam International airport with a margin of error involving 95 confidence level. (5) Hakuhodo's survey associated with manufacturer strengths of international tourist destinations together with Tourist Destination brand Analyzer, January 31, 2005 (6) In Order To measure customer satisfaction with regard to Guam, Qmark Analysis use Likert 7 point rating scale where 7= really happy and also 1= very dissatisfied. (7) Survey as well as analysis of the brand name strength associated with 51 tourist destinations around the world using the sample involving 1000 respondents: 600 in the metropolitan Tokyo and 400 inside the Kansai region. 3 elements of tourist brand name equity are usually captured as "experience value" (related for the experiences the particular destination offer), "infrastructure value" (related to the location and additionally the accommodations) and "information value" (related for you to reputation and also the accessibility associated with information). (8)
http://www.futurebrand.com/news/press-released/ united-states-claims-1-spot-for-first-time-asworlds -topcountry-brand/ (9) 83% of the sample delivered by Qmark Analysis is concerned about safety in the destination, 59% concerning terrorism. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Destination+branding:+the+comparative+case+study+of+Guam+an d+Vietnam.-a0246450128
