Walking the Talk: Tourism Performance vs. Sustainability Communication in Six European Destinations

Abstract

Tourism destinations increasingly promote sustainability in their branding efforts in the post-Covid period. However, a persistent gap often exists between their measurable sustainability performance and the communicated brand narratives. This study examines how countries with different World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024 scores utilize sustainability themes in their tourism branding. We compare Germany, Portugal, Turkey, Spain, Italy, and Greece — six destinations with diverse performance levels and strategies — through a comparative case study approach. Quantitative data from TTDI are complemented by the Tourism Potential Creation Index (TPCI) to capture tourism efficiency relative to population size. These benchmarks are combined with a qualitative content analysis of official tourism websites, campaigns (2020–2025), and social media materials. The analysis builds upon Zenker's stakeholder-oriented place branding model and extends Kiraz's Sustainability-Oriented City Branding Index (SOCBI) to national tourism contexts. We employ the Tourism Potential Creation Index (TPCI= Country Tourism Creation Capacity Ratio ÷ Country Population Ratio) to understand the relationship between actual performance and the authenticity of branding. Official tourism websites and sustainability communication strategies are analyzed across three dimensions: Environmental Communication, Adaptive Branding, and Communication Authenticity. Our findings reveal a strong negative correlation (r = -0.913, p < 0.01) between environmental performance and communication intensity, suggesting that destinations with lower environmental performance compensate through intensified sustainability messaging. Four distinct patterns emerge: high-performing destinations (Germany, Spain) integrate sustainability authentically, silent performers (Portugal) underutilize their achievements, while aspirational communicators (Turkey) employ intensive branding focused on cultural and environmental heritage, and moderate aligners (Italy, Greece) balance performance with communication. This reveals a performance-communication gap that carries both opportunities and credibility risks. The analysis suggests sustainability communication serves primarily as a defensive strategy to avoid negative perceptions rather than a proactive differentiator, reflecting the asymmetric influence of environmental credentials on destination choice. The study contributes theoretically by linking performance indices with destination branding research, and practically by offering recommendations for aligning sustainability branding with measurable outcomes. The findings provide valuable insights for tourism boards seeking to balance authenticity and aspiration in sustainable destination marketing.