So, I think the authorities were highly indignant when had heard about this "award", because, in 2014, they started the "rebranding" of the country.

What we have

Beautiful and hospitable people, mesmerising landscapes, cultural sites and historical monuments, sweet wine and delicious food- it`s all about Moldova.

Corruption, economical problems, bad roads and infrastucture are about Moldova, too. Plus, we had an awful logo.



What are the opportunities



Most occident travellers prefer adventure-tourism. Moldova has the necessary places for such kind of activity. Furthermore, the costs of visiting and exploring Moldova are ridiculous small. This country also has great traditions and there are a lot of talented craftsmen, who can create truly pieces of art. And of course, there are Moldovan villages, which are quiet places surrounded by virgin nature.



Icon craftsman



The countries that already knew Moldova as a touristic destination were Germany, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Italy, Turkey and Russia.

The targeted countries for long term that were chosen: the UK, France, China, the USA, baltic countries and Japany.

What was done

As I said above, we had an awful logo. It was poor designed and did not represent the true values of Moldova.



The bright minds of The Moldova Etnography Museum did a great job and found the symbol that truly represents country - The Tree of Life.

Well, this symbol is a mix o meanings:



monasteries



wine



people and hospitability



fresh vegetables



tasty fruits



national holidays



the rose of Moldova



And finally, the slogan, that suits perfectly to logo and sounds like that: "Discover the routes of life". Great, isn`t it?

The Social Media Campaign started right after the Logo presentation. In this way, was created a mobile application, a Facebook page and a dedicated website in 5 different languages.

Furthermore, there were carried out numerous public events, expositions and presentations abroad to get people in touch with Moldova.



The results

I don`t know exactly if the number of tourist increased, but I can see that Moldova became more notable. And it is not because of the Billion Dollar Heist, but because of it was invited at Expo Milano 2015, and has its own beautiful pavilion. It`s because I find posts like this online. It is early to say, but Moldova has turistic potential and it is our duty to promote its image!

Last but not least, have a look at this beautiful video and ask yourself if it is worth to visit Moldova or not!