Brand Leadership of Destinations - Between economic Benefit, social Design and Feasibility

This article deals with the brand management of destinations. In view of the highly competitive market conditions and the important role played by destination image in the choice of destination, the competitive position of the destination is not regarded as an indispensable fact. By building and managing a destination brand, it seems possible in principle to exert influence on the socially constructed destination image in order to gain competitive advantage. The focus must be on the emotional and symbolic benefits for the customer, which can be achieved based on a differentiated positioning of the travel destination. The simple transfer of experience in brand management from the consumer goods industry does not seem to be possible, as a whole series of special features have to be taken into account when managing destination brands. The paper concludes with a critical assessment and highlights a number of research questions that have not yet been adequately answered.