Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.70077/et2er.7.2.19
Regional trademark - a tool for boosting the competitiveness of the tourist product in rural areas
Dessislava Alexova
orcid.org/0000-0002-0341-8598
; International Business School
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The sustainable development of tourism at the local level is determined by various factors. These are the tourist
resources, the specificity of the region and the material and the technical base, the degree of involvement of the local
population in the entire sphere of tourism activity, the implementation of innovations, quality criteria, etc.
Underdeveloped rural regions with a characteristic appearance and favourable conditions for the sustainable
development of tourism, with proper planning and management, can become preferred tourist destinations. The purpose
of the study is to present in how the principles of responsible marketing can be implemented in a regional trademark of
a tourist destination. How to emphasize local identity for branding the tourist product in border rural areas with overall
high competitiveness. The research methods used in the survey include: primary analysis of the tourist potential of the
corresponding tourist destination; carrying out field research; chamber methods; sociological methods - verbal and
written surveys, work with focus groups; graphic design, including empirical-theoretical research methods, typography
and colorimetry; adaptation and testing of models. As a result of the applied methodology, several tourist brands have
been developed, including the local identity of destinations in border, rural and underdeveloped regions in Bulgaria,
where one of its elements is the regional trademark. The development and the integration of a quality trademark is
based on the need to create a more effective marketing tool, through which the tourist sites and products in the selected
destination will be more competitive in the market. The experience of these destinations can contribute to further
research and development of mechanisms for managing the overall brand of destinations. Testing the model and its
application in regional and municipal strategies for sustainable tourism development in the country and abroad.
Keywords
brand identity; responsible tourism; sustainable development
Hrčak ID:
341433
URI
Publication date:
16.12.2025.
Visits: 252 *