An emerging strategy in tourism marketing is to brand locations as “masculine” (portrayed as adventurous, outdoorsy, rugged, etc.) or “feminine” (glamorous, mild, romantic, etc.). Lu Lu’s study finds that the optimal advertisement strategy of a location depends on whether it is branded as masculine versus feminine. 

The gender traits of destinations can be fluid, just like human beings. This gives destination marketers a powerful tool to manage perceptions. As destination marketers evolve to incorporate gender branding techniques, those who can adjust their strategies accordingly to the brand they are building will find most success.