Brand And Expand

Increasingly, one finds almost all state tourism boards beginning to brand their states for tourism promotion. Reema Sisodia delves into
the various aspects related to this new phenomenon...

Mention 'God's Own Country' and chances are nine out ten people will know that you are talking about Kerala. It is a catch line that gives a direct sense of identification, character and recognition. It is that line that sums up the entire message. This, in a nutshell, is branding and Kerala's not the only state going in for this. For example, Go Goa 365 Days on a Holiday, spells out the message loud and clear that Goa is a year-round destination and one need not consider seasons for a vacation there.

Branding is not only being recognised as a powerful communication tool by State Tourism Boards (STBs), but its efficacy for marketing, business building and beating competition is not in doubt. According to SN Bhattacharjee, managing director, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd, "Branding is very important in this age of cut-throat competition. Tourism has over the years proved to be an important source of revenue for cash-strapped states and India with its diverse natural resources, monuments, relics, places of worship offers wide scope for the growth of tourism. Branding a particular state with its 'strengths' is essential. While planning his/her holidays, 'leisure' tourists can easily relate a particular state with its intrinsic properties. For instance, we brand West Bengal as a 'complete destination'. The state offers a wide variety in terms of tourist destinations, from snow-capped mountains, meandering rivers, virgin beaches, the greatest delta in the world, a mangrove forest, etc. The state has everything except a desert."

Adds Sakthikanta Das, commissioner of tourism, government of Tamil Nadu, "Tourism is all pervasive and defies any concrete definition, particularly with multiple products and themes to market. Marketing is becoming more competitive and the consumer has little time to go into various aspects of the product he/she would like to utilise. Therefore, it is imperative that one should brand the tourism product in the best way the buyer would understand. Hence we have branded our product as 'Enchanting Tamil Nadu - Experience Oneself'. Branding helps in making a distinction and creates uniqueness for the tourism product. It highlights salient aspects of the attractions on offer and distinguishes one product from the host of other products available in the market today. Several factors are taken into account while branding a particular state. First one has to decide upon what needs to be branded. For instance, a particular state may brand a particular festival related with the state, some other with its people, some may brand it with a particular place etc."

Das feels that branding of Tamil Nadu state has helped them immensely and created a telling effect not only within the travel trade but also among the general public. He says, "Our marketing efforts have been well recognised. The Galileo Express Travel and Tourism award that we received for 'Best Technology Programme' is proof of this fact. Apart from the impact on the industry and on customers, the unprecedented increase in tourist arrivals to 18 per cent conveys the message that conceptualisation of a brand and effective marketing can make a marked difference."

Branding: A Professional Approach

Branding a specific product has emerged into a highly professional venture, wherein state boards have hired specialised and reputed advertising agencies and companies to work on their themes and products. For example, Karnataka Tourism, realising that even though it is trying to promote the state by frequent trips abroad, has gone in for a rebranding exercise. They have selected an agency after receiving bids from 27 agencies in the country.

Experts are also of the view that at times, too much of diversity in the product may go against a destination as it gets difficult to focus on a specific aspect. For example, with regards to Karnataka, during a brainstorming session with the trade about the focus that the new agency would take, it was highlighted that the state lacks a single image, which ultimately is necessary for branding. "The state has beaches, wildlife, information technology, culture, temples, monuments, heritage sites…you name it and Karnataka has it. This seemed to be major 'hurdle'," said a representative of a leading advertising agency.

Though the brand building exercise is a stage-wise programme, for now, Karnataka's tagline will remain Theatre of Inspiration. "Branding can work wonders and it is a good sign that the tourism board is trying to portray an image of the state by experimenting with a new agency. It will take time for us to know what focus will the agency take but one thing is for sure, it will not be an easy task. But one also needs to keep in mind that whatever the emphasis, the state should be in a position to deliver what it promises," says Vishnuvardhan Bhat, a Bangalore based hospitality consultant. Aspects such as tourism infrastructure, which includes transport, accommodation, way-side facilities, help-desk at railway stations and airports, reservation facilities, recreational facilities, safety of tourists, sightseeing, cleanliness etc need to be in place to give the product real teeth. A brand can help sell the product initially, but it's the translation of the promise that would increase tourism flow to the state. Adds Bhattacharjee, "Branding adds value to the product but it should be based on truth. One should not feel cheated after returning from the destination."

Aspects To Branding

Clarity, distinctiveness, delivery and consistency are four aspects which Sabyasachi Ghosh, director, department of tourism, Andhra Pradesh needs to be considered before going in for branding. He says, "Destination brand is totality of perceptions that a traveler holds about the place. It embodies the attributes, strengths, assets and experiences in the place. Branding should be based on realistic attributes, which the place must uphold. It is much more than a logo, tagline or advertising. The logo and tagline serve as valuable reminders for the values inherent in the brand. The brand is built at every point of contact between customers and the destination. The destination brand must be adopted and managed effectively by tourism stakeholders and chain members so as to make the brand 'live'."

Another aspect of branding is sub-branding or creating brands within a brand. J&K Tourism has been in existence for decades and evokes images of a top quality tourist product encompassing nature, culture, handicrafts and adventure. Mentions M Saleem Beg, director general, J&K Tourism, "The natural beauty and Himalayan setting of Kashmir Valley was taken into account while branding it. During subsequent years, sub-brands were developed for Ladakh as the "Land of Endless Discovery" keeping in view the cultural aspect of the region as well as its vast lunar landscape. Likewise, for pilgrim tourism which we developed as a sub brand." This helped the state during its troubled times when terrorism was rampant there. With the increase in tourist traffic from 14,568 in 1947 to 7.22 lakh in 1988, it had been envisaged that the state would reach a figure of one million in 1990 and two million in 2000. However, tourism activities came to a stand still due to the disturbed conditions in the state. The entire workforce in tourism was thrown out of jobs and the infrastructure, which had been created over last 40 years, started deteriorating. However, during this period Jammu division registered an increase because pilgrim figures, primarily to Vaishno Devi, jumped from 1.2 million per year in 1983-84 to more than 5.4 million in 2003. Ladakh was able to maintain an average flow of about 20,000 tourists per year in spite of set backs and adverse conditions in other parts of the State. During 2003 there was record arrival of 28,402 tourists with a foreign component of 15,371. Hence, highlighting certain aspects and regions of the state as a brand within a brand worked for the state."

Here To Stay

Branding meanwhile is de rigueur among Indian and this is apparent in the manner in which new states have jumped on the bandwagon. Chhattisgarh, which was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000, has plans to build the image of its tourism and has sought professional help in terms of branding. Chhattisgarh Tourism Board chose to call themselves a land 'Full of Surprises'. Having coined this new slogan along with a new logo to go with the image and the theme, Chhattisgarh Tourism is hoping to spearhead a new marketing campaign.

The writing is clear on the wall - branding is the latest mantra. Seasoned players have tied-up with professional advertising companies, while the others are working towards getting into professional marketing. Branding is here to stay.