The World Travel Market (WTM) at London announced yesterday that Australia was chosen as this year’s leading brand country, according to the selection of the annual Country Brand Index 2006 (CBI), while the US and Italy were listed second and third. CBI also recognized Croatia, China and the United Arab Emirates as three tourist destinations ‘with great potential’ for the upcoming five years, stated the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ).
CBI recognizes countries as brands and new global traveling trends in the fastest growing international economic sector of travel and tourism. The tourist industry employs more than one out of eleven workers throughout the world.
The HTZ is especially satisfied that the international professional tourist scene finally recognized Croatia as one of the rising stars in tourism, after having secured its position on the international tourist market, explained Niko Bulić, director of the Head Office of the HTZ.
A global study included over 1500 international travelers and tourist industry experts. The organizers of the study were the company FutureBrand along with the PR agency Travel Practice. The study’s main goal is to explore how brand countries turn into brands and according to which criteria they are being evaluated.
This year's CBI includes adjusted data on the countries as well as classification, new trends, traveling motivation, challenges and opportunities within the world of travel, tourism and brand countries.