The place branding of Qatar

Abstract

Destination branding has become popular. Countries brand themselves to draw visitors and competent expatriates and to create economic diversification. The brand emphasises the uniqueness of the place; it frames the culture and sells its way of life. In the perspective of tourism, this research examines the branding strategies of Qatar. To the Qatari, the brand message and the place reality are designed by creating a new brand reality which reflects the line of flight the country has taken into an envisioned society. This research examines the strategic approaches in the local social, cultural and political context. Place branding is outwardly directed, but it is the domestic politics and mechanisms of local control that shape how the country can brand itself.