The 19th Commonwealth Games were declared open on Sunday in a spectacular opening ceremony that should help repair the damage to India's image caused by a calamitous build-up to the sporting festival.

Amid greater political stability and increased efforts to attract visitors, Middle East tourism is outstripping the markets in Asia and Europe. When it comes to the Middle East, more than a few people might be surprised to learn of the region's latest achievement: stature as the fastest-growing tourism destination in the world.

Not long ago, when you thought of a South Asian country ravaged by floods, governed by bumblers and apparently teetering on the brink of chaos, it wasn't Pakistan that came to mind. That distinction belonged to Bangladesh.

Former Ewha Womans University President Lee Bae-yong on Tuesday was named the new chair of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding. The 63-year-old former aide to President Lee Myung-bak was appointed to the minister-level post to replace Euh Yoon-dae, who had to leave the post after becoming chairman of KB Financial Group Inc. in June.

This article is the second part of a two-part series based on our discussions and exchanges with Martin Roll, business and brand strategist... the second part focuses on National Branding and the role Koreans and expatriates can play in this process.

Saudi Arabia at Expo 2010 Shanghai

The Saudi Arabian Pavilion: The Ultimate IMAX Experience

Why is it that the country with the largest economy in the world can’t get the welcome mat right? It is now more than nine years since 9/11 and to have the premier international gateway to this nation’s capital resemble an airport in a “shambolic banana republic or poorly managed police state,” in Brûlé’s ascerbic words, is unconscionable.