Constructing ASEAN tourism brand identity by applying event and leisure marketing

Abstract

              ASEAN countries committed to strategically alliance at the end of year 2015 as Asian Economic Community (AEC). With members of ten countries where have nearly identical economic activities in tourism industry contributing to the countries’ GDPs, the core competency and definite identity of ASEAN are still ambiguous. The conglomerate policy covers only on the surface of cooperation hardly identify the outstanding benefit to the integration, however, hospitality and tourism industry is the key spot that can be extensively complied with concept of AEC. The qualitative research conducted in 2015, using an in-depth interview with eight key informants from multiple roles in ASEAN tourism, aims to examine an overall strategic planning process focusing on formal and informal communication of how ASEAN tourism branding being constructed based on destination tourism and marketing communication through event and leisure activities. The benefits of this study for students, researchers, marketing managers, and other tourism related entities are two parts; an elaboration of how ASEAN tourism branding built under a consensus agreement and suggestion on the potential decision on ASEAN tourism brand identity in long term.