The subject of this article is destination branding and its role in the marketing of tourism as revealed by the example of Singapore. A case study approach, incorporating a review of information in the public domain and analysis of the content of promotional material, is employed to assess the country's most recent branding exercise. The campaign is considered within the context of prevailing place images and tourism development strategies and the importance attached to destination images and brands in general are also evaluated. Destination branding is shown to be growing in popularity among marketers and the factors underlying this trend are revealed. The appeal of the practice is demonstrated, but the discussion also identifies some of its drawbacks and suggests it should be exposed to greater critical appraisal in certain instances.
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