About
It’s not a secret that Serbia has an image problem. A negative international image has driven away tourists. Emerging from a decade of wars and economic sanctions, Serbia’s image abroad is one of a corrupt, unpleasant, and potentially dangerous place. Reduced trade and foreign investment, in part due to Serbia’s negative image, has resulted in high unemployment and low wages. Every day, Serbia is also savaged in the international press. A quick search of news wires typically reveals headlines about war crimes, Kosovo issue, corruption, and other negative subjects. Although Serbia has made great progress in achieving stability, little positive news makes it into the international press. If Serbia is to realize its full potential as a travel destination and to integrate effectively with European markets, it must shake off this bad image.
Objectives
The goal of Serbia’s Ambassador to the world is to change the negative image of Serbia that has been present for many years. Our mission is to increase international travel to Serbia by improving Serbia’s image abroad and by delivering a better understanding of Serbia for international visitors. Additionally, Serbia’s Ambassador to the world may improve trade and investment in Serbia by projecting Serbia as a desirable place to invest and do business.
We want people abroad to:
° Think positively about Serbia
° Get a better understanding of Serbia and Serbian people
° Visit Serbia
° Do business with Serbian companies
° Invest in Serbia
We want Serbian people to:
° Keep a sense of national pride
° Profit from a better national image
° Stay in Serbia (and Serb expats to move back to Serbia)
The basis for projecting a better image clearly exists. This isn’t a snow job. It isn’t propaganda. Serbia’s Ambassador to the world blog just project the positive (and negative sometimes) realities of Serbia. The way we do this is mostly by combining frequent posts to Serbia’s Ambassador blog, with editorial replies in response to online news about Serbia.
Started in 2008 by Ambassador Karl Haudbourg and then growing into a group blogging effort, the blog of Serbia’s Ambassador to the world uses a proven nation branding framework to analyze and offer insight into news stories about a moving Serbia, life in Serbia and travel issues that affect people’s ability to think positively about Serbia. As the blog became especially well-known for its detailed analysis of the Serbian society, Ambassador Karl Haudbourg increasingly tapped into the wisdom and expertise of the Serbia’s Ambassador to the world blog’s community, knowing that the multiple perspectives and experience would be useful to readers.
