It is widely agreed that the recent history of economic crisis in Zimbabwe had negative effects on tourism in the country. Soon after a decade of political and economic instability, Zimbabwe is faced with several challenges to position the destination in an increasingly competitive global marketplace and to create a unique identity to differentiate itself from competitors. Thus destination branding can be a strategic marketing component with considerable importance in promoting the discovery of the country severely impacted by a volatile economic and political environment. This study sought to develop a destination branding framework for tourism development in Zimbabwe based on stakeholders’ perspectives. The underpinning objectives were, to determine the nature of Zimbabwe’s tourism destination brand, to establish the tourism destination branding process in Zimbabwe, to identify the benefits of destination branding for tourism stakeholders in Zimbabwe, to identify the development preferences about destination branding in Zimbabwe and to determine the destination branding support strategies for tourism development in Zimbabwe. A positivist philosophy was adopted for the study with a quantitative approach. The study made use of a cross-sectional survey design with a sample of 417 randomly selected tourism stakeholders. Data were analysed in SPSS with AMOS for structural equation modelling. Major findings indicate that, the nature of a tourism brand, destination branding process and branding benefits have a positive influence on stakeholder preferences about destination branding. Ultimately stakeholder preferences about destination branding have a positive influence on support strategies for destination branding. A framework was proposed basing on these findings. This framework may contribute to creating and integrating a value added destination brand to enhance tourism development in Zimbabwe. More importantly, the research findings may help Destination Management Organisations, tourism planners and policy-makers to understand what tourism stakeholders prefer in developing the country’s brand and to plan and implement sound destination branding strategies.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the study
1.1 Background to the study
1.2 Overview of the tourism sector in Zimbabwe
1.3 Statement of the problem
1.4 Research Objectives
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Research Hypotheses
1.7 Conceptual Framework
1.8 Overview of research methodology
1.9 Scope of the study
1.10 Significance of the study
1.11 Structure of the dissertation
1.12 Chapter summary
2. Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Global tourism development
2.3 Tourism Development in Zimbabwe
2.4 Role of Tourism in a country’s economy
2.4.1 Employment creation
2.4.2 Income generation
2.4.3 Improved standards of living
2.4.4 Protection of the environment
2.4.5 Integration
2.5 Branding
2.6 Service brand
2.7 Destination branding
2.7.1 Definition of destination
2.7.2 Destination branding
2.8 Nature of a brand
2.8.1 The brand identity
2.8.2 The brand image
2.8.3 Brand associations
2.9 Destination branding process
2.9.1 Market analysis
2.9.2 Brand identity
2.9.3 Brand launch
2.9.4 Brand implementation
2.9.5 Monitoring, evaluation and review
2.10 Brand identification and differentiation
2.10.1 Destination brand name
2.10.2 Destination Brand Logo
2.10.3 Destination Brand Slogan
2.11 Brand Architecture
2.11.1Architecture in Destination Brands
2.11.2 Brand Architecture Strategies
2.12 Brand Relationship Spectrum
2.13 Success Factors in Destination Branding
2.14 Summary on Benefits of Destination Branding
2.15 Stakeholders in destination branding
2.15.1 Stakeholders and their interests
2.15.2 Stakeholders and their roles
2.15.3 Management Responsibility
2.15.4 The stakeholder theory
2.16 Support for destination branding strategies (partnerships)
2.16.1 Reasons for Partnerships
2.16.2 Forms of Partnerships
2.16.3 Success factors in Tourism Partnerships
2.17 Destination branding frameworks (models)
2.17.1 Practical Framework for Community-Based Destination Branding
2.17.2 The Collaborative Destination Branding Model
2.17.3 Relational network brand model
2.17.4 Brand hexagon
2.17.5 Brand pentagon
2.18 Development of research hypotheses and conceptual framework
2.18.1 Nature of tourism destination brand
2.18.2 Destination branding process
2.18.3 Destination branding benefits
2.18.4 Stakeholders and their roles
2.19 Implication of the literature to the study
2.20 Chapter summary
3. Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research philosophy
3.3 Research design
3.4 Study population
3.5 Sample
3.6 Sampling procedures
3.7 Research instrument
3.7.1 Nature of tourism brand
3.7.2 Tourism destination branding process
3.7.3 Destination branding benefits
3.7.4 Stakeholder preferences about destination branding
3.7.5 Support for destination branding strategies
3.8 Data collection procedures
3.9 Research Design Issues
3.9.1 Reliability and Validity
3.10 Data analysis and presentation
3.11 Ethical considerations
3.12 Chapter summary
4. Data Analysis and Presentation
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Response rate analysis
4.3 Data normality test
4.4 Characteristics of respondents
4.4.1 Gender
4.4.2 Age of respondents
4.4.3 Level of education
4.4.4 Nature of business
4.4.5 Length of employment
4.5 Nature of Zimbabwe’s tourism brand
4.5.1 Factor and reliability analysis for Zimbabwe’s tourism brand coverage
4.5.2 Descriptive statistics for Zimbabwe’s tourism brand coverage
4.5.3 Factor and reliability analysis for features differentiating Zimbabwe’s brand
4.5.4 Descriptive statistics for features differentiating Zimbabwe’s brand
4.6 Destination branding process in Zimbabwe
4.6.1 Factor and reliability analysis for Zimbabwe’s target markets
4.6.2 Descriptive statistics for Zimbabwe’s target markets
4.6.3 Factor and reliability analysis for Zimbabwe’s marketing media
4.6.4 Descriptive statistics for marketing media used to promote Zimbabwe’s brand
4.6.5 Factor and reliability analysis for stakeholder consultation
4.6.6 Descriptive statistics for stakeholder consultation on Zimbabwe’s tourism brand
4.6.7 Factor and reliability analysis for Zimbabwe’s marketing challenges
4.6.8 Descriptive statistics for challenges in marketing Zimbabwe’s tourism brand
4.7 Destination branding benefits for Zimbabwe’s tourism
4.7.1 Factor and reliability analysis for destination branding benefits
4.7.2 Descriptive statistics for benefits of destination branding to Zimbabwe
4.7.3 Factor and reliability analysis for value for money
4.7.4 Descriptive statistics for value for money associated with Zimbabwe
4.8 Stakeholder development preferences about destination branding in Zimbabwe
4.8.1 Factor and reliability analysis for stakeholder preferences about destination branding
4.8.2 Descriptive statistics for development issues about destination branding
4.8.3 Factor and reliability analysis for importance of destination branding
4.8.4 Descriptive statistics for importance of destination branding to Zimbabwe
4.9 Support for destination branding strategies in Zimbabwe
4.9.1 Factor and reliability analysis for support for destination branding strategies
4.9.2 Descriptive statistics for support for destination branding strategies
4.10 Reliability and validity of measurement scales
4.10.1 Reliability of measurement scales
4.11 Confirmatory factor analysis
4.11.1 Measurement models
4.11.2 Confirmatory factor analysis for nature of Zimbabwe’s tourism brand
4.11.3 CFA results for destination branding process in Zimbabwe
4.11.4 CFA for destination branding benefits
4.11.5. CFA results for stakeholder preferences in destination branding
4.11.6 Confirmatory factor analysis for support for destination branding strategies
4.12 Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)
4.13 Chapter summary
5. Discussion of Results
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Nature of Zimbabwe’s tourism destination brand
5.3 Tourism destination branding process in Zimbabwe
5.4 Benefits of destination branding for tourism stakeholders in Zimbabwe
5.5 Stakeholder development preferences about destination branding in Zimbabwe
5.6 Destination branding support strategies
5.7 Integrative framework on destination branding for Zimbabwe
5.7.1 Research hypotheses results
5.8 Chapter summary
6. Conclusions and Recommendations
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Conclusions
6.2.1 Nature of Zimbabwe’s tourism brand
6.2.2 Destination branding process
6.2.3 Branding benefits
6.2.4 Stakeholder development preferences about destination branding
6.2.5 Destination branding support strategies
6.2.6 Integrative framework on destination branding
6.3 Implications of the research findings
6.3.1 Implications to theory and knowledge
6.3.2 Implications for policy and practice
6.4 Limitations and recommendations for future research
Research Goals and Themes
This thesis aims to develop a destination branding framework tailored for Zimbabwe's tourism industry by incorporating the perspectives of various tourism stakeholders. The research seeks to address the challenges posed by political and economic instability, identifying strategies to establish a competitive and unique national tourism brand.
- Nature of the tourism brand in Zimbabwe and key differentiators.
- Tourism destination branding processes and their effectiveness.
- Benefits and stakeholder preferences regarding destination branding.
- Strategic support frameworks for sustainable tourism development.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Background to the study
The tourism industry is an important business sector in economies of both developing and developed countries (Anholt 2007; Schaar 2013; UNWTO 2015; Girma 2016). Since 1950 the tourism industry has grown significantly to become one of the world’s fastest growing industries (Morgan et al. 2011). The tourism industry plays an important role in business, with revenue generated supporting economies of many developing countries (UNWTO 2015). In 2014, the World Tourism Organisation reported that, despite several challenges, tourism has shown uninterrupted growth. Tourist arrivals have increased from 25 million globally in 1950, to 1, 133 billion in 2014. International tourism receipts earned by destinations worldwide have increased from US$2 billion in 1950 to US$1, 245 trillion in 2014 (UNWTO 2015).
Tourism is therefore an important and profitable investment that countries are starting to realise (Kamali and Mousavi 2014; Ashton 2015), hence the continued growth and development of the industry. This growth has resulted in competition between destination countries, to attract potential visitors and investors (Kavaratzis and Ashworth 2010; Oliveira 2015). As such, the competition has resulted in destinations rethinking their tourism promotion strategies to embrace branding.
Branding a destination is arguably one of the effective tools that can assist a destination to compete for visitors and to enhance its destination image (Ndlovu and Heath 2013; Yusof et al. 2014). Using a brand, destinations can differentiate their products and services with other similar destinations (Garcia 2012). As competition increases in the tourism industry, branding is becoming one of the important marketing strategies for product and service provision to tourists (Laskiri and Falkenburg 2009. Destination branding is a fairly recent concept that has been explored since in the 1990’s (Ricardo 2009; Hankinson 2015). More efforts are being put into branding destinations to attract more visitors and investors (Huong et al. 2015). Branding a destination is a complex process that goes beyond simply developing brand slogans and logos (Kavaratzis and Hatch 2013; Yusof et al. 2014).
Summary of Chapters
Chapter One: Provides an introduction to the research, outlining the background, problem statement, objectives, research questions, and the structural framework of the study.
Chapter Two: Reviews existing literature on tourism development, destination branding, stakeholder involvement, and various branding models to inform the study.
Chapter Three: Details the research methodology, including the positivist philosophy, research design, population, sampling techniques, and data collection procedures used.
Chapter Four: Presents the comprehensive data analysis and results, including descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling findings.
Chapter Five: Discusses the research findings in relation to the existing body of literature and the study's stated objectives.
Chapter Six: Summarizes the study’s conclusions, provides recommendations for future practice and policy, and highlights limitations of the current research.
Keywords
Destination Branding, Tourism Development, Zimbabwe, Stakeholder Perspective, Brand Identity, Brand Image, Structural Equation Modeling, Marketing Strategy, Tourism Management, Sustainable Tourism, Brand Architecture, Destination Management Organisation, Tourism Stakeholders, Competitive Advantage, Tourism Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the development of a destination branding framework to foster tourism development in Zimbabwe, specifically examining the role of stakeholders.
What are the central themes of the work?
The study revolves around the nature of the tourism brand, the branding process, benefits, stakeholder preferences, and strategic support for tourism growth.
What is the primary research objective?
The main objective is to develop an integrative destination branding framework for Zimbabwe based on stakeholders’ perspectives and empirical testing of structural relationships.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The study adopts a positivist research philosophy with a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SPSS and AMOS for data analysis.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers a comprehensive literature review, detailed research methodology, presentation of survey data collected from 417 stakeholders, and a thorough discussion of the findings.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include destination branding, tourism development in Zimbabwe, stakeholder preferences, branding frameworks, and structural equation modeling.
How does stakeholder involvement affect branding in Zimbabwe?
The research concludes that active stakeholder participation and consultation are crucial for successful branding, as their preferences significantly influence the support for branding strategies.
What are the key conclusions regarding the Zimbabwean tourism brand?
The study concludes that Zimbabwe possesses unique tourism assets—such as wildlife and cultural heritage—but requires a more cohesive, stakeholder-supported branding strategy to overcome negative perceptions and economic challenges.
- Quote paper
- Kumbirai Mirimi (Author), 2016, Developing a Destination Branding Framework for Tourism Development in Zimbabwe, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/384457
