Use Of Branding By Selected Non-European National Tourism Organizations (NTOs)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is an analysis of the selected aspects of activities undertaken within the framework of branding by those national tourism organizations (NTOs) that function in the area of four main tourist regions in the world (outside of Europe). The division was made based on the recommendations of UNWTO which distinguishes 5 main tourist regions in the world, i.e. the European Region, the American Region, the Region of Asia and Pacific, the African Region and the Middle East Region (Tourism Highlights… 2015). The branding activities of 44 national organizations of NTO type were the subject of the analysis. In particular,  theoretical deliberations concerning understanding branding in the national and foreign literature of the subject were presented in the study. The main criteria were characterized on the basis of which national tourist organizations were selected for the research and also the selected aspects were presented of the practical use of branding by the examined NTOs (including the scope of activities undertaken within the framework of branding, perceiving and equating branding by the examined organizations with various issues, use of branded products in promotional campaigns). The research hypothesis was accepted in the study, namely that branding plays an essential role in the activities of modern national tourism organizations, and its rank and the scope of use is constantly increasing, which makes it become one of the key activities undertaken by the organizations of this type.