Destination Branding: Does Uganda have a Tourism Brand?

By Tukamushaba Kurobuza Eddy

Lecturer Makerere University Business School

PhD Candidate in Destination branding

I would like to refer to the article that appeared on October 16, 2008 in The New Vision page 48 titled “Drop Gifted by Nature Brand” by Paul Tentana. I do not particularly agree with the view that Uganda has a tourism brand! The problem I see from this article that the refers to “Gifted by nature”, “The pearl of Africa” as tourism brands. I would like to agree with Mr. James Bahinguza, the Tourism Uganda Manager who was quoted as saying “Gifted by nature is not selling anywhere and giving a reason that every country is gifted by nature in one way or another!

Whereas I agree with him on that point, he also seems to suggest that “The Pearl of Africa” would be the best tourism brand for Uganda!

Let me first appreciate all individuals who came up with these ideas, but I think we are getting this wrong when we continually use these concepts as tourism brands. In my view, they are good to be used as a basis to brand Uganda as a tourist destination not brands as they are being portrayed. This means there is still a lot to be done by Tourism Uganda charged with the responsibility of marketing Uganda as a tourist destination.

As a Scholar, allow me to share my ideas towards getting a better brand name for Uganda’s tourism industry.

Let’s first imagine France without fashion, Germany without automotive excellence, and Japan without consumer electronics. The argument here is that the image we have of another country says a lot about how we view it as a tourist destination, as a place to invest or as a source of consumer goods and services. In the same way as a company brand, a place’s reputation needs to be built on qualities that are positive, attractive, unique, sustainable and relevant to many consumers.

As with any brand, nations as well as destinations have individual fingerprints that are unique. From language to skin colour, to music and art style, to customs and religion, no two places are exactly alike, and this uniqueness gives power to a place brand.

Most places have long felt a need to differentiate themselves from one another, to assert their individuality in pursuit of various economic, political or socio-psychological objectives.

The conscious attempt of governments to shape a specifically designed place identity and promote it to identified markets (whether external or internal) is almost as old as civic government itself. The acts of communication that a place can perform include; the products that it exports; the way it promotes itself for trade, tourism, inward investment and inward recruitment; the way it behaves in acts of domestic and foreign policy; and the ways in which these acts are communicated.

In essence, a place branding consists of developing an image and communicating it based on the positive values and perceptions of the place. The core values of a place brand can affect everything from positioning to differentiation of the place’s many products and services.

Today, a range of consumer brands deliberately promote their place of origin to benefit from associations and equity grounded in their provenance to achieve competitive advantage.

Country or place brands are by no means simple to build. Unlike product branding, place branding is seldom under the control of a central authority and it involves multiple stakeholders, often with competing interests. People may learn about any place (country, region or city) in school, from media sources, from purchases, from trips or from contact with citizens or former residents. News coverage and popular cultural entertainment such as films, television programs and literature can provide substantial information about a place. These can alter an area’s image dramatically, even in a short period of time. For these reasons brand strategists have to exploit such avenues towards creating a winning tourism brand for Uganda.

As for any brand, image and associations are at the core of a place brand. Due to challenges in management of the image, Formation process of places, a basic question to be asked in place branding is therefore the need to initiate co-operative umbrella branding programs to promote Uganda as a tourist destination. This strategy has worked (i.e. India), while for others it has failed and it needs concerted effort by all tourism stakeholders.

India is a story of success, because it has emerged in the last years in terms of perceptions in a different way from how it was perceived a decade ago. It was spirituality and poverty; now it is software and highly educated people.

Knowing what Uganda is famous for would be a beginning point. For example “A home of mountain Gorillas”! which would be appealing to a targeted market.

Lastly, similar to a company brand, a place branding strategy must be based on a clearly defined vision, which is firmly rooted in the existing policies, resources, capabilities, motivations and perceptions of the place. It is essential for the stakeholders of the place to create and share this vision, and work jointly towards determining how it will be achieved.

I believe Ugandans know better their country and together with our partners we can brand Uganda and start enjoying the full benefits from the tourism industry.