Who owns it? When communities brand destinations

Destination branding is an important strategy to allow for differentiation from competitors. However, there has been little discussion in the literature regarding community involvement in destination branding. This study explored the perceptions of residents actively involved in tourism across two destinations: Pitlochry, and the Isle of Gigha. The chosen destinations allowed for different types of communities to be explored given the purely voluntary nature within one destination, and the inclusion of both volunteering and ownership by the community of the destination. Four key themes were identified and explored in relation to both destinations: surrogate council, motivations, funding of the groups, and community support. Further data collection across different communities will be undertaken throughout 2016 to explore this phenomenon further.