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29 March 2024

UAE scores high on new Country Brand Index

The country has a class of its own in delivering world-class hospitality options. (SATISH KUMAR) 

Published
By Nina Varghese

The UAE has made it to the list of top 10 country brands on several counts and as number one in resort and lodging options, ahead of the US, Australia, Switzerland and Canada, according to FutureBrand's Country Brand Index (CBI) 2008.

In categories like Shopping, Most Impressive Last Year and New Country for Business, UAE was ranked second. The study also placed the UAE in second position in the Rising Stars category in world tourism, implying that it is experiencing growth in awareness, solidifying its brand image and increasing traveller preference and loyalty.

The UAE was ranked number seven in Conference Tourism and 10th in Standard of Living, Fine Dining and Advanced Technology.

In its fourth straight year, the CBI is a study of more than 2,700 international business and leisure travellers from nine countries conducted by FutureBrand, a member of the Interpublic Group of Companies.

CBI 2008 includes rankings and trends and takes into consideration various travel motivations, challenges and opportunities within the worlds of travel, tourism and country branding.

Mario Natarelli, Co-Chief Executive of FutureBrand, said: "To maintain a strong country brand, there is a need to sustain the momentum through initiatives that deliver the brand's core essence. In the case of the UAE, the country has remained a class of its own in delivering world-class hospitality options that have truly redefined the industry. The UAE's brand initiatives are clearly aimed at reaching higher levels of excellence in terms of service quality, innovation and meeting high expectations of the hospitality market."

Thierry Bertin, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Southwest Asia, Hyatt, told Emirates Business: "The UAE remains a key destination for holidaymakers from around the world. Dubai and Abu Dhabi in particular are becoming increasingly popular as they offer a mix of relaxation, shopping, and more active options such as desert safaris and water sports."

FutureBrand's CBI 2008 cited the UAE's continued efforts to establish itself as a strong brand for hospitality, promoting resorts for their unique architecture, premier service and ultimate luxury.

The UAE's consistency has helped the country maintain its stronghold in CBI's Resort and Lodging Options category, which saw a major shake-up in the rest of the standings with the US leapfrogging from sixth last year to the second spot this year, replacing second-placer Maldives.

Australia moved to fourth from third, while Switzerland retained its place at fifth. The rest of the countries that made it to the top ten in the Resort and Lodging Options category were Canada, which moved to sixth from fifth; Bahamas and Monaco, which maintained their spots at seventh and eighth; Singapore, which dropped to ninth from eighth; and Tahiti, which dropped to 10th from fourth.

The study said that countries are becoming more aware of the importance of defining how they want to be perceived and the need to improve and leverage their assets. While tourism is often the most visible manifestation of a country brand, it is clear that the image, reputation and brand values of a country impact its products, population, investment opportunities and even its foreign aid and funding. Looking at a nation holistically, determining its key requirements and essential objectives and aligning initiatives to both the public and private sector are the best ways to create a successful country brand, it said.

Future Brand's Country Brand Framework includes eight essential country brand dimensions. The eight key dimensions of a country brand are composites of multiple attributes and are divided into needs and wants-based components. Of the eight, some may need long-term investment and the involvement of all avenues of government to be sources of success. Others may be strong brand assets already, while a few may be areas of opportunity. It differs for each country brand.


Emerging trends 

LUXURY FLYING UPGRADES 

The luxury travel market is growing between 10 and 20 per cent every year, two to three times the rate of overall world tourism, with the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Far East the biggest beneficiaries, FutureBrand said.

To cater to this lucrative market, many airports and airline brands are now creating exclusive and upper-class-only terminals (Emiri Terminal in Qatar's New Doha International Airport and the Lufthansa Terminal in Frankfurt are notable) as well as new and improved premium-class sections in airplanes.

Emirates has upped the ante on luxury travel by creating a "P" class, which means first class with private suite. Singapore Airlines also offers upper-first class seating service and business-class-only flights. Additionally, there is a variety of new alternatives to conventional air travel that provide greater flexibility for the luxury traveler, the report said. Regional jets and air taxis are increasingly available. These small planes carry up to six people, can fly out of smaller airports and have the potential to serve passengers on a point-to-point basis as needed without reservations.

IMPROVED AIRPORTS 

As gateways to the countries they represent, airports are increasing in size, capacity and stature to become more than just transit centres, FutureBrand said.

With new and expanded facilities designed by 'starchitects', airports are becoming monuments, functioning as economic catalysts and destinations in and of themselves.

Technology is laying a larger role in the airport experience from radio frequency identification (RFID), smart ID card and self-check in, aimed at reducing the number of staff hours required to handle passengers, to an increasing range of technology-enhanced security and surveillance devices.

At the same time, the check-in process is continuing to move outside the airport. Airlines like Air Canada are using bar-code technology to allow passenger to board solely with their cell phones with a printed e-ticket, via text messages received the day of the flight. This has already been adopted in Japan and Spain.


Global Tourism sector to hit $5.9trn

In 2008, travel and tourism is forecast to account for $5.9 trillion (Dh21.67trn) of economic activity globally, equivalent to 9.9 per cent of the global GDP and more than 238 million or 8.4 per cent of total employment.

Since 2004, the annual increase in the GDP of the global travel and tourism economy has averaged four per cent in real terms – greater than that of the global economy overall, During the same period, travel and tourism has created more than 34 million jobs.

In 2007, international tourist arrivals grew by an estimated six per cent to reach a new record figure of nearly 900 million, a 12.5 per cent increase from 2005. Although growth is expected to slow in 2008, forecasts to date are still positive, pointing to a three per cent growth of global travel and tourism economy and six million additional jobs in this sector worldwide.