Branding de destinos turísticos: um estudo a partir do “Saffron City Brand Criteria”

Abstract

Competitiveness in the tourism sector encourages the destinations to develop strategies and tools for their differentiation and favorable positioning. For this, one of the alternatives is the incorporation of strategic brand management, understood as a marketing tool designed to communicate the unique identity of the destination, distinguish it from its competitors and carry out its promotion. In this context, the studies on the branding of tourist destinations present research focused on the construction, management and evaluation of the brand and contribute to the understanding of how this process occurs in the destinations. Thus, the present study Thus, the present work analyzes the brands of three competing destinations of the Brazilian Northeast based on the "Saffron City Brand Criteria" parameter. With descriptive-exploratory methodology, and qualitative approach, the present research used semi-structured open interviews with managers and representatives of selected tourist destinations and documental analysis. Through content analysis, aided by the Nvivo Qualitative and Mixed Analysis Software (version 11.0), it was possible to conclude that destinations do not have a defined and are strategically-oriented brand to reach destination goals; they have a focus on the physical and tangible dimension of their assets rather than emotional and symbolic dimensions; they have a product-based positioning based on the existing tourist products, aiming at meeting objectives and public that resemble; there are different relations between those who manage the brand and those to whom the brand belongs. Finally, reflections on the Saffron City Brand Criteria parameter, its application in the context of Brazilian destinations and agenda for future research are presented.