Armenia's tourism branding focuses on nature, gastronomy, adventure: Sisian Boghossian

At the e4m PR & Corp Comm Women Achievers Summit 2024, the Former Head of Tourism Committee of Armenia took the audience through the branding exercise for Armenia as a tourism destination. Sisian Boghossian, Former Head of Tourism Committee at the Ministry of Economy, Republic of Armenia, shared her journey of rebranding Armenia as a tourism destination in an inspiring session. 

She began, “I was appointed to my position within a few months of moving to Armenia, and I do not have any experience in the public sector. I've had about 17 years of experience in marketing in Canada, mostly in the private sector, and this was sort of my first go at working in the public sector.”

One of her first major projects was the rebranding of Armenia. “It was about promoting Armenia and positioning Armenia in the right way in the international community, which had never really been done before,” she explained. Hence, she helped the audience through the branding exercise they did for Armenia as a tourism destination.

She highlighted the main challenge they faced: “How many people have heard of Armenia as a country?” she asked the audience. People know about Romania, Albania but Armenia is lesser known."

Boghossian emphasized the need to create a narrative that goes beyond religious symbols and celebrity associations. “Armenia is the first country to accept Christianity, but we are much more than that. And if anybody knows about Armenians, they automatically think of Kardashian or maybe Charles Aznavour, but how can we leverage these voices to create a more purposeful narrative?”

“Armenia's ancient heritage, pristine nature, rugged landscapes, combined with our hospitality and rich culinary scene, all at an affordable price, is what sets us apart from other destinations,” she mentioned, describing the country's strengths.

The branding effort focused on four key elements: culture, nature, gastronomy, and adventure tourism. “We wanted to create an ongoing, long-term story arc. Our mission became positioning Armenia distinctively on the world map, so people would no longer mistake it for another country,” she said.

The rebranding involved extensive research. “We had user engagement research, prototype testing, focus groups, and interviews with tourists,” she shared. They learned that visitors felt a surprising sense of belonging, even if they weren’t Armenian. And Armenia’s off-the-beaten-path landscapes offered peaceful solitude for those seeking adventure.

The result was the brand concept: Armenia as a 'rooted symphony.' 

“Rooted in culture and history, with a symphony of experiences that can be interpreted differently by each visitor,” she explained. The tagline became 'The Hidden Track,' symbolizing Armenia as an undiscovered gem full of surprises.

Visual identity played a crucial role. “We created a unique font called Soundscape, representing Armenia's ever-changing nature,” she said. “Wild apricot was chosen as the primary color, representing our national fruit and its significance in Armenian culture.”

Boghossian concluded with hope by saying “I started by asking how many of you would like to visit Armenia. I hope more hands go up now that you know a little bit more about us