Samenvatting

The Russian travel and tourism sector shows a high potential to grow and become a main global player in the field of tourism. The tourism industry contributes about 5.9% to the total GDP of the country. In 2011, the sector’s total contribution was 3.4 million Rubles, or $106 billion dollars. (WTTC, 2012) However, there is a significant imbalance within the Russian tourism sector between inbound and outbound tourism. Therefore, the country aims to attract more international tourists. Russia has a bad image in the Netherlands. Lots of potential tourists perceive the country as dangerous, corrupt and unwelcoming. This image is mainly caused by the media and the high amount of negative publicity in which the destination Russia is involved. The Russians themselves, who visit European countries more frequently for business trips and leisure also have an effect on how the Dutch perceive Russia. Furthermore, the image of the destination is formed through historical events such as the Cold War. Although Dutch tourists are mainly negative about the destination Russia, they also have positive associations with the destination and show knowledge on the various tourism elements the country has to offer. They perceive the destination Russia as very interesting and even educational, mainly because of its rich history. They think Russia is an excellent destination for cultural tourism and associate the country with beautiful architecture, art, poetry, literature, music and ballet. Dutch tourists also believe the Russian nature is beautiful and variable. They associate the country with adventure and think there are many options in Russia for sportive and adventurous activities. The feeling of danger surrounding the country is the biggest obstacle destination marketing organizations need to tackle in order to improve the image of the destination Russia. This can best be done by providing clear information on how safe the destination actually is. Publishing stories, or promoting blogs from people who have visited Russia can help to change the generally held image of corruption and violence. Furthermore, big events such as the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi have shown to have a positive, but short, effect on the country’s image. In order to create an actual, long lasting change in the image of Russia, the current political strife first needs to calm down. It is advisable for this destination to combine Destination Branding practices with Crisis Management to restore the image of Russia, but also to be prepared for potential crises in the future.