Kazakhstan's branding strategy as an exotic tourist destination

Kazakhstan

Exotic tourism:

The branding of Kazakhstan as a tourist destination 'Branding' is a critical component of selling any product or service and this is no less true in regards to marketing a tourist destination than it is of a container of soap or a car rental company. When marketing to tourists, it is essential to convey a brand's unique value to likely purchasers. "For destinations, effective differentiation is critical given the increasingly competitive nature of tourism markets, where many places offering similar features are becoming substitutable" (Pike 2009: 857). In the case of Kazakhstan, one would be marketing a country which has not traditionally been a destination of choice for many tourists. However, exoticism can also have a certain appeal for a certain 'type' of tourist. A former republic of the U.S.S.R., Kazakhstan is now mainly known for its rich oil and gas resources but it is striving to increase its potential revenue as a tourist attraction to Westerners.

Brand equity for Kazakhstan

Perhaps the most unique feature of Kazakhstan in the eyes of a likely tourist is its untouched quality. Relatively protected from the modernization of the West, much of its Central Asian Mongol culture and architecture has been preserved. According to its tourist destination website, the "unique culture of Kazakhstan is a reason to travel to Kazakhstan for many tourists. Almost in every corner of the republic, a visitor, interested in real life of Kazakh people - their traditions, rituals, art and culture, will find many things of interest" (Kazakhstan travel information, 2013, Visit Kazakhstan). Rather than a relaxing destination where visitors can feel at home, Kazakhstan stresses its essential difference from the West as a critical reason to make the trek to its borders.

The exoticism of the natural world is another component of marketing Kazakhstan. The country is home to rare species of wildlife such as the snow leopard and many unique native plants. "In order to preserve such a rich world of plants and wildlife, a network of national parks and nature reserves were established in the country. Recently, these protected areas have become accessible to visitors" (Kazakhstan travel information, 2013, Visit Kazakhstan). Thus Kazakhstan is desperately trying to raise awareness amongst tourists wishing to 'push themselves to the edge.' These include sports-oriented tourists like mountain climbers as well as those who merely wish to gaze upon exotic sights. Kazakhstan advertises that "a range of high, middle and low mountains, such as Tien Shan, Altay, Ulytau, Kazygurt, etc. have a beautiful nature attracting tourists from all over the world" and also offer access to amateur climbers (Kazakhstan travel information, 2013, Visit Kazakhstan). Its large winter sports complex Medeu showcases the "highest skating rink in the world" and offers ice skating year round (Kazakhstan travel information, 2013, Visit Kazakhstan). The Chimbulak ski resort offers skiing from November till May (Kazakhstan travel information, 2013, Visit Kazakhstan). Its advertising literature thus stresses both the 'product value' of specific attractions along with its attempt to create a general 'brand' for the country.

Conclusion: Awareness, image, quality, value, loyalty of Kazakhstan

For a nation still building its reputation as a tourist destination in the West, Kazakhstan's current marketing approach seems wise: marketing its image upon exoticism. In the future, however, this could be problematic in encouraging loyal return tourism, given that adventure tourists are always seeking the 'next new thing.' Its novelty in terms of its diversity of geography and attractions conveys value to the adventure tourist, but the country is still struggling to use social media to its maximum capacity to raise awareness.