Capturing the essence of a brand from its history: The case of Scottish tourism marketing Received (in revised form): 14th September, 2005 IAN YEOMAN is the Scenario Planner for VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation for Scotland. He has a PhD in Management Science from Napier University, Edinburgh and is the author/editor of nine tourism books. Ian is the Editor of the Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management and has taught on a number of courses. His special interests include the use of modelling techniques to interpret and analyse tourism scenarios and policy. ALASTAIR DURIE was a senior academic at the University of Glasgow, but now teaches at the University of Stirling. He is author of a number of works on the history of tourism in Scotland including Scotland for the Holidays: Tourism in Scotland c.1780–1939, which was published in 2003, and Water is best. Hydropathy and Health Tourism (in press). UNA MCMAHON-BEATTIE is a lecturer, researcher and consultant at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. Her research interests lie in the areas of tourism marketing and tourism futures. She has published widely as an author and book editor in the UK and internationally. Una is the Practice Editor of the Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management. ADRIAN PALMER is Professor of Services Marketing at the University of Gloucestershire Business School, Cheltenham, UK. After holding marketing management positions within the travel industry, he joined academia where he has researched buyer-seller relationships within the service sector. Recent research has been published in the European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Strategic Marketing and Journal of Services Marketing. Abstract History has a habit of repeating itself but many people tend to forget this. This paper sets out to show how the history of Scottish tourism becomes a pattern for the future. In a climate of consumer trends, such as escapism, wellbeing and culture, the past becomes a retrospect of the future. By focusing on experience, cultural capital and authenticity, a marketing proposition is created through a brand essence that reinforces the philosophy that history is the future. INTRODUCTION whether domestic or international. The worldwide growth of tourism This propensity for tourism, as in other must count as one of the most countries, is linked to growing af- remarkable achievements of the last 50 fluence and general well being. In- years.1 With one or two exceptions, creasing disposable income and a desire the proportion of the world population for a better quality of life have not only Dr Ian S. Yeoman taking part in tourism activity has risen encouraged those who traditionally Scenario Planning Research year on year through the last three have not taken a holiday, but also Manager, Visit Scotland, decades. The tourism industry in encouraged those who already take Ocean Point One, 94 Ocean Drive, Scotland has been booming for the holidays to increase the number and Edinburgh EH6 6JH, UK last 20 years. Almost every year, a frequency of their holidays. There is Te l : ϩ44 (0)131 472 2388 Fax: ϩ44 (0)131 472 2223 larger proportion of Scottish residents now a greater propensity for travel to E-mail: [email protected] takes part in tourism-related activities, faraway places and for weekend breaks. 134 ᭧ HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 1479-1803 BRAND MANAGEMENT VOL. 13, NO. 2, 134–147 NOVEMBER 2005 THE ESSENCE OF A BRAND: SCOTTISH TOURISM MARKETING Themorepeoplebecomeaffluent, the marketplace, destinations need to per- more money is spent on leisure suade potential tourists to visit and activities. Spending on out-of-home revisit one place instead of another leisure has nearly doubled over the last based upon whether they feel emotion- decade and now comprises 25 per cent ally close to the destination. This of total household expenditure. cognitive appeal to hearts and minds is The importance of tourism cannot the territory of brand equity. be understated. According to the World Tourism Organization,2 tourism is the world’s largest growth industry. HOW DESTINATION IMAGE IS Receipts from international tourism GROUNDED IN THE PAST have increased annually by an average The historian Hobsbawn5 observes that of 3.3 per cent since 1995, to reach the past is a permanent component of US$523bn in 2003. During the same human consciousness and patterns of period, international arrivals rose by a the future. Each generation learns from yearly average of 3.9 per cent to reach the previous one and in the knowledge US$703m in 2002 (there was a slide of transfer process copies, improves and 1.7 per cent in 2003 due to the Iraq reproduces its predecessor as far as conflict, SARS and a persistently weak possible. If many ‘big new ideas’ in economy). Today, tourism in Scotland business are examined critically, it will contributes 4.5bn to the economy, be found that these ‘new ideas’ have represents 5 per cent of Scotland’sGDP been present in Scottish tourism for a and 8 per cent of employment3 but it long time. It may be through youth- is scarcely understood and often taken ful naivety or excitement that a new for granted. Tourism is now a world- phenomenon is regarded as genuinely wide industry. Every destination and new, but a wiser person would see the country partakes in tourism, even those historical antecedents. traditionally closed countries such as Anholt6 argues that destinations can- North Korea or Iran, whether it is not separate tourism and country or a six-star hotel in Dubai, veterans’ place and product. Supporting this, tours of Vietnam paragliding in the Olins7 and Papadopoulos and Heslop8 Namibian desert or cruising in the state that a country’s image, culture Indian Ocean. and appeal are all one and the same, According to Morgan et al.,4 today’s therefore they become the foundation tourists are not asking ‘What can we of place marketing and a country’s do on holiday?’ but ‘Who can we brand equity. These authors suggest be on holiday?’. Tourists are in- a country’s history is its destination creasingly looking for escapism, cul- image. Manifestations of a country’s ture and discovery. These create the history represented in such features as basis of an emotional connection that Scottish diaspora, sport as heritage (eg marketers can exploit through brand- golf) or the Edinburgh Festival are ing. Branding continues to be the most ways to celebrate national identity. The powerful tool available to destina- opportunity for national tourism or- tion marketers confronted by increas- ganisations is to optimise present and ing product parity, substitutability and future consumer trends such as the competition. Yet despite this aggressive interest in cultural capital,9 the desire ᭧ HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 1479-1803 BRAND MANAGEMENT VOL. 13, NO. 2, 134–147 NOVEMBER 2005 135 YEOMAN, DURIE, MCMAHON-BEATTIE AND PALMER for new experiences10 and the search from the past which are still ‘cur- for authenticity11 against the destina- rent’ and likely to be valid, albeit tion offering. From a Scottish Tourism reshaped and restated, which should perspective these trends correlate with inform marketing and policy planning? the present offering and provide the Alphonse Karr, the French writer and opportunity for growth. Durie’s12 study editor of Figaro, stated in his satirical of the history of Scottish tourism iden- review, Les Guepes,14 ‘Plus ca change, tifies many stories and historical events plus c’est la meme chose’—‘The that are a representation of Scotland more things change the more they stay today and in the future. Hence, this the same’. captures Hobsbawn’s13 view that the past is a permanent component of human consciousness and patterns of A LOOK AT THE PAST the future. From a historical perspective, why did There is, of course, a real debate tourists come to Scotland? According about the relationship of the past to the to Durie15 the first tourists were in future. Is the past just that, or does it fact accidental tourists but Scotland offer pointers and lessons to the brand by the early 19th century had estab- marketing manager? Or is the modern lished a reputation not as a barbaric world just too different? There are and hostile place, but as a respectable those who argue that the study of the and safe destination. This was in con- past is not just an end in itself, but can trast to other parts of Europe, includ- provide a guide to the future direction ing Ireland. Indeed, it was a place and strengthening of the brand. The where young men would not fall into past is a kind of laboratory, which sexual temptation, thanks to the rule of allows the identification of key causal the Kirk, and travellers were unlikely factors, their classification into continu- to be mugged. Additionally, during ing or ephemeral, and some degree of the French Revolution, many of the extrapolation from past performance nobility could not embark upon the to the future. Much prediction and Grand Tours in Europe, so instead they projections in marketing are based on went to Scotland. A writer in the the past, or at least a reading of it, but Quarterly Review observed in 1809 that considerable scepticism attaches to this ‘since the Continent is shut against exercise in the minds of some market- us, Edinburgh is as much visited by ing managers. Reading the past does every dashing citizen who pretends to not guarantee the future; as with stock fashion, as Margate or Tunbridge’.16 market investments, ‘past performance Scotland is often associated with does not guarantee future returns’ be- rain, more rain and dreich days. This is cause there are too many variables.