The Balkans (except Greece and Turkey) and the Caucasus mountains are by definition emerging destinations. Not because they are new as travel destinations, but because they are almost textually emerging from the dark of communist regimes or wars. In spite that the cultural heritage of these lands is the oldest in Europe - in Homer times, Europe was comprised only by Greece, Macedonia, and Thrace (mostly current day Bulgaria) - these countries cannot claim yet their first place in country branding for cultural tourism.
What are the challenges and why most of the beautiful destinations in these regions cannot find their “image” or emotional appeal to serve as successful cultural tourism brand?
First, their broken economies. In spite of the 7-10 percentage GDP growth per year, they still have to fill up holes left behind by greedy “socialism” apparatchiks, 90-s mafias, and current corrupt politicians. They cannot afford brand consulting from Landor, Simon Anholt and Future Brands, neither they understand that branding is a professional service, not something you can decide through national campaigns among your citizens. And, above all, their poverty gets out the wrong message – poor country, nothing to see.
Second big obstacle are the rotten politics and the constant fights and intents to damage each one image – see Macedonia and Greece, Armenia and Turkey and Kosovo/Serbia. As a result – all countries, not only the ones that are on the “wrong” side of these fights, get a damaged image.
National pride and useless discussions. Fights over identity (Macedonia/Greece), who was right/wrong in military conflicts (Serbia/Kosovo, Georgia/Russia) and who predecessors were more ancient (all the countries in the region are claiming to be the cradle of all civilizations) don’t help a country brand. The opposite – they damage the country image by showing that its citizens don’t have realistic view one their own countries and for millennia cannot get together to do something positive.
Richness of culture. As for each brand of product, service or destination, a very focused approach is needed. The problem with all countries in the Balkans and the Caucasus is that with so diverse cultural heritage, ethnographic mixture and religious differences is very difficult to find the one word, one image and one focus.
The rewards
Only Croatia and Georgia, with the brilliant help of Simon Anholt and Saatchi and Saatchi respectivly, managed to create great brands based on their cultural heritage.
Simon Anholt coined out a great line: “Croatia. The Mediterranean as it once was.”, which is true – Croatia managed to preserve almost intact its cultural heritage and , combined with new luxurious super resorts to claim its place in the Mediterranian, not on the Balkans. Smart move, Simon, because the Balkans are perceived as a place of wars, poverty and danger for the visitors.
Saatchi & Saatchi used a 1.7 million years human bone to claim “Georgia. Europe started here”. Not that Europe, as destination existed 1.7 million ears ago, nor that the civilization of Europe started there – for that you have to look south-west. Nevertheless, first, Saatchi & Saatchi “detached” the country from Asia, where most people believed it was, and second, they placed the accent in the past – not on the current war and conflicts situation in the Caucasus.
Are these the only countries which can see “light in the tunnel”? Exept for Greece and Turkey and the above mentioned examples, I believe that, yes, the rest of the countries have to learn lessons and improve their brands for cultural tourism.
Romania with the Dracula branding can continue to attract Americans and Canadians, but it needs a little bit more to become cultural destination for Western Europeans, Chinese, Japanese and Russian tourists. Maybe the gypsy music, the abandoned village houses and the inaccessible mountains can appeal to the adventurous and wildness-seeking cultural explorer.
Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia and Armenia have to solve some conflicts with their neighbors, who are damaging their image worldwide. Once they can polish out their differences, some of them will see how much in common they have with their neighbors and how they can use that in their advantage.
Bulgaria has to find its appeal in the Thracian civilization heritage – its continuity in the modern day festivity lifestyle and the beauty in its arts and crafts culture.
And all countries, both in the Balkans and in the Caucasus, have to see that their cultural heritage is the one that shaped the modern notion of “culture” for the entire Europe and act together as a super destination. Because only that way they can be proud of their contemporary culture to be an inheritor of glorious times, not a successor of bloody wars and endless territorial claims. Which, in the end, will help them to become really successful travel destinations for cultural tourism.
