Brand USA, the new tourism marketing entity responsible for promoting the United States to world visitors, unveiled the USA’s first-ever comprehensive marketing campaign today during a press conference at International Pow Wow, the largest U.S. travel trade show held this week in Los Angeles.

The State Department supports Brand USA, a public-private partnership with the mission of promoting increased international travel to the United States, and applauds the unveiling of its initial marketing campaign. We welcome its efforts as part of the President’s tourism initiative to support economic growth and job creation.

Taiwan's soft power has also benefitted the tourism industry, the bureau said, adding that the popularity of Taiwanese movies such as "You Are the Apple of My Eye" and the annual lantern festivals might have contributed to the increasing travel interest in Taiwan.

While Japan struggles to recover from the shocking devastation of the March 11, 2011 (3/11) earthquake and tsunami, Japanese public diplomacy also struggles to recover from the damage. Tourism campaigns, especially those with a focus of rehabilitating the image of the Japanese are critical, benefiting from support of non-Japanese artists.

Thailand should brand itself by integrating campaigns initiated by its various ministries and agencies and sending a clear message to the world, says WPP, the world's largest advertising group.

If South Africa could rebrand itself, there is no reason why Zimbabwe cannot and I am not talking about some socialist- sounding acronym or slogan. This calls for a change in mindset and approach.

Taiwan and Japan plan to launch a joint rail tourism campaign next month as part of expanding links between the two countries since a massive earthquake struck Japan in March last year. In the campaign, dubbed “sister trains,” Taiwan’s CK124 steam engine and a similar Japanese train will be used to promote railway travel in both countries.

As a way to promote travel, Japan will invite influential bloggers and Twitter users from across the globe to visit areas affected by the earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis, which occurred last March.Targeting these areas will aim to restore Japan’s dwindling tourism, which dropped by 50 percent in the first three months following the natural disasters.