Canada Wins Top Marks In Only One Special Category With Foreign Tourists

Posted November 8, 2006 12:00 pm.

This article is more than 5 years old.

Now how do you think tourists would answer that same question?

Their perceptions may surprise you.

In a world where image often matters more than reality and just about anything is for sale, countries – like supermarket products – often have to rely on their ‘branding’ to create the way would-be visitors around the world see them.

And according to a survey of major countries, Canada reflects one distinct image to travelers overseas: safety.

FutureBrand, a company that does consulting work on how businesses are perceived, has come out with a list of the way the world views other nations. And while this country didn’t score too highly on the rankings as best place to do business or best place for nightlife, it seems our reputation for being a safe place to visit remains intact.

The estimation comes despite last year’s ‘summer of the gun’ that spawned bad publicity worldwide and had some travel magazines warning tourists about heading to Toronto.

So who wins the contest of the countries? When it comes to selling itself, the Land Down Under comes out over the top. Australia is seen as being the best at promoting itself as the most intriguing country to visit.

“Australia has successfully marketed its assets countrywide without picking apart particulars,” explains FutureBrand’s Rina Plapler in a statement. “It has collectively harnessed the mystique of the whole country.”

The U.S. and Italy came in second and third overall.

In many cases, tourist boards of the countries examined in the survey will select a highly specific feature to tempt you to vacation there. And the survey shows it’s working.

The Americans receive top marks for having the best shopping, while Italy is ranked as the place you’ll find the finest nightlife and dining on the planet.

Thailand gets the nod as the nation where you get the biggest bang for your buck, while the world’s greatest beaches are apparently in the Bahamas.

So while you may not be able to eat out in the world’s finest restaurant in Vancouver, lounge in the sand in downtown Calgary, or afford the price tags in costly Yorkville, at least those coming here from across the borders know we’re a safe place to be.

And in an increasingly dangerous world, maybe that’s not such a bad selling point after all.

Among the other changing trends discovered by researchers:

Sources Of Info

The study shows that travel magazines and ads are having less influence about decisions on where to spend your money. Many are turning to Internet bloggers for the “truth” about what’s really happening in a country and whether it’s good bet as a place to spend a limited vacation dollar.

Scarcity Works

Researchers found that the harder it is to get in somewhere, the more people want to get there.

The Familiar Works

Some countries looking to attract tourists from specific nations are hiring people from those places to guide them on their tours, making them feel more at home in a strange land.

The study incorporated opinions from industry experts, a survey of 1,500 travelers and national statistics.

Here’s the list of how various nations scored on the 2006 Country Brand Index:

Best Country Brand for Safety: Canada

Best Overall Brand Image: Australia

Best Country Brand for Shopping: U.S.

Best Country Brand for Beaches: The Bahamas

Best Country Brand for Nightlife/Dining: Italy

Best Country Brand for Value for Money: Thailand

Best Country Brand for Natural Beauty: New Zealand

Best Off-the-beaten-Track/Exotic Country Brand: Peru

Best Country Brand for Authenticity: India

Best Country Brand for Families: U.S.