Branding mauritius - For global competitiveness

This paper discusses the concept of branding Mauritius, focusing on the central question: What is being branded and whether this is something that is needed? The country branding is expected to encapsulate the uniqueness of Mauritius and add value to its destination. The slogan unveiled was: “Maurice - C’est un plaisir” or “Mauritius - It’s a pleasure”. The new slogan is short and simple, but a lot of criticism has been levelled against it. “It’s a pleasure” may also have negative connotations - implying sexual tourism. Overall, ‘C’est un plaisir’ has also been criticised for being ambiguous and not being able to distinctly differentiate itself from other Indian ocean islands like Seychelles, Maldives, Comores which may have many similar characteristics. Key challenges on how Mauritius needs to differentiate itself from other neighbouring small island states are discussed. More research is needed to establish if the branding strategy has been an effective one.