Travel - World's Top 10 Country Brands (G.Read)

Australia has emerged as the world's top country brand for the third consecutive year, according to the 2008 Country Brand Index (CBI), being officially released in London on November 11. Rising from its sixth place ranking last year, Canada is recognized second and the United States rounds out the top three country brands in the 2008 study.

Conducted by FutureBrand, a leading global brand consultancy, in conjunction with Weber Shandwick's Global Travel & Lifestyle Practice, CBI is a comprehensive study of about 2,700 international business and leisure travellers from nine countries. The study identifies China, the UAE and Croatia, respectively, as the top three 'rising stars' – those likely to become major tourist destinations in the next five years. Also making the list this year are Vietnam, India and Cuba.

Although CBI identifies emerging global trends in the world's fastest-growing economic sector – travel and tourism -- this year's Country Brand Index has increased its scope to look at country brands more broadly. It reviews attributes and associations outside of tourism to better appreciate the opportunities and challenges of country branding.

"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," the study says.

Here we take a look at the world's top 10 country brands:

Australia

POPULATION: 21,007,310

GDP: $773 billion

SIZE: 2,967,909 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 461

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 3.7%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 4.4%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 4.5%

EXPERTS SAY: "Australia has strong branding. Tourists can access a wide range of offerings: adventure, relaxation, pure scenery and mouthwatering gastronomy."

Canada

POPULATION: 33,212,696

GDP: $1.3 trillion

SIZE: 3,855,103 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 1,343

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 4.1%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 2.7%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 2.9%

EXPERTS SAY: "Canada is an exceptional country and has all of the assets to be a great brand: natural and urban beauty, quality of life, diversity, culture, entertainment, gastronomy, business infrastructure, stability and openness."

America

POPULATION: 303,824,640

GDP: $13.8 trillion

SIZE: 3,794,083 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 14,947

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE: 5.1%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 1.5%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 3.8%

EXPERTS SAY: "The US continues to be a tourist magnet for its fun spirit and because it is the giant of entertainment and business, delivering a large variety of rich and diverse experiences."

Italy

POPULATION: 58,145,320

GDP: $1.8 trillion

SIZE: 116,306 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 132

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 3.5%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 1.0%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 4.0%

EXPERTS SAY: "Italy is a country that markets the best of itself: the cradle of gourmet cuisine and art, the romance of Venice, the history of Rome and even the beauty of its men and women."

Switzerland

POPULATION: 7,581,520

GDP: $303.2 billion

SIZE: 15,942 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 65

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 7.1%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 2.8%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 5.3%

EXPERTS SAY: "Switzerland is established, has successfully developed a clear attractive profile and is consistent in its brand promise and delivery."

France

POPULATION: 64,057,792

GDP: $2.1 trillion

SIZE: 248,429 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 476

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 3.0%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 1.9%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 4.1%

EXPERTS SAY: "France has a strong local identity (wine, music, fashion, language, tradition and culture) and the ability to load its brand with emotion: beauty, quality of life, romance."

New Zealand

POPULATION: 4,173,460

GDP: $112.4 billion

SIZE: 103,738 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 121

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 3.3%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 3.3%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 6.0%

EXPERTS SAY: "New Zealand delivers what it promises. Its destination branding has used strong emotional effects: quality, well-being, safe operation, cultural interaction and pristine and pure scenery."

UK

POPULATION: 60,943,912

GDP: $2.1 trillion

SIZE: 94,526 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 449

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 2.7%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 1.6%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 3.4%

EXPERTS SAY: "The UK is a well thought out and executed brand that effectively utilizes all of the natural and cultural resources of the country."

Japan

POPULATION: 127,288,416

GDP: $4.3 trillion

SIZE: 145,883 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 176

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 4.1%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 1.8%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 3.4%

EXPERTS SAY: "Japan already has a high brand profile, but we've found that traveller expectations are always exceeded by the country. The diversity, culture and quirkiness of Japan — and the lower yen — are a powerful combination."

Sweden

POPULATION: 9,045,389

GDP: $338.5 billion

SIZE: 173,732 sq. miles

AIRPORTS: 250

TRAVEL & TOURISM % OF GOVT EXPENDITURE: 2.2%

TRAVEL & TOURISM GROWTH: 3.6%

TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY % OF GDP: 2.4%

EXPERTS SAY: "Sweden has the charm of Europe but an intriguing sense of mystery and otherness about it. It offers the traveller a variety of adventures and is proving to be a strong destination."