Departing from the Porto brand case study, this chapter discusses the concept of destination brand identity from the supply-side perspective. Consequently, it proposes an authentic-based approach to place identity theory, in which destination authenticity is pointed out as a key driver to create a strong place brand identity. Moreover, it is suggested that destination managers should follow an eight-step approach to branding a destination. This dynamic view of place identity, which is supported by a continuous co-creation process involving local and external stakeholders, allows destination brand managers to mirror and reinforce the destination authenticity.
TopPlace Branding
Place branding research has gained much attention among academics and practitioners in the last decades. The rising interest in the field of destinations, nations and cities is deeply anchored on the need to design effective place branding strategies to attract foreign investment, talented or skilled manpower and visitors. Indeed, a destination brand is increasingly considered a valuable asset for urban development and a relevant tool for cities to distinguish themselves and improve their positioning (Camilleri, 2018a; Ashworth & Kavaratzis, 2009). Moreover, extant research shows that tourists usually visit destinations which falls in their destination awareness set (Yousaf, Amin, & Gupta, 2017) and fulfill their hedonic and sensory needs (Agapito, do Valle, & Mendes, 2014).
Nevertheless, it is commonly accepted that destination brands are complex assets and that place brand managers have very little control on the process of branding a city (Yousaf, Amin, & Gupta, 2017). Indeed, destination brands as a product are the result of a continuous and interactive process between government, international funding bodies, private stakeholders and residents (Ashworth & Kavaratzis, 2009). At different levels, all of these actors contribute to the creation of unique and distinct place brand associations, linked to the economic, social, political, cultural and technological aspects of a place (Camilleri, 2018b). Hence, destination branding is considered a challenging task for place brand managers in developing a sustainable and long-term brand strategy able to protect both the interests of private stakeholders, residents and tourists (Yousaf, Amin, & Gupta, 2017).