Tourism destination branding and its effects on national branding strategies : brand New Zealand, clean and green but is it smart?

Abstract

The present work analyses how tourism and non-tourism place brands are integrated under an umbrella national brand, and how the tourism brand may have little value or even prove negative for other industry sectors. The study examines the development of Brand New Zealand and the subsidiary ‘100% Pure’ tourism and ‘New Zealand, New Thinking’ trade brands. In 2002 New Zealand sought to reposition the national brand so that it was perceived internationally as innovative and creative in order to advantage non-tourism and agricultural enterprises. However, while the ‘clean, green and smart’ proposition had domestic appeal it did not have broad international impact. The research highlights the importance of understanding effects of destination branding in a broader policy and place branding context.