Abstract Place branding aims to make a country, a region, a city or a tourism destination stand out in the complex and changing marketplace, enhance the place reputation and contribute to the development. A place branding strategy asserts the place’s uniqueness and factors of differentiation namely for tourism purposes. This assertion of uniqueness often emphasises the historical, social, human, and cultural assets of the place. These assets are fundamental for tourism and the development of tourism destinations (e.g. cities, regions). Tourism has often been seen as an important and dynamic sector in the economy of those places. The scope of this paper is to explore a possible place branding strategy for regions, such as the Northern part of Portugal, emphasising the tourism potential. Our aim is to reinforce tourism as necessary for an economic and social transformation and as a response to the contemporary challenges the region is facing (e.g. weak economic confidence, unemployment). The novelty of this paper lies in the theoretical approach that positions place and destination branding theories as strategic spatial planning instruments and intends to contribute to the academic debate around the implementation of a long-term place branding process as part of a planning strategy to support a strategic change in regions. -- Keywords Destination branding, Place branding, Portugal, Strategic spatial planning, Tourism. -- Author details Eduardo Henrique da Silva Oliveira Department of Spatial Planning & Environment Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen Author biography Eduardo is a Ph.D. researcher at the Department of Spatial Planning & Environment, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. He was born in Braga, Portugal, and studied Geography and Planning at the University of Minho, Portugal. Then, he completed a post-degree in Tourism and Regional Development at the Portuguese Catholic University and he currently holds a M.Sc. in Marketing and Strategic Management from the School of Economics and Management, University of Minho and University Sains Malaysia. His work focuses on the theory and practice of place branding in strategic spatial planning. -- Corresponding author Department of Spatial Planning & Environment Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen e.h.da.silva.oliveira@rug.nl

1. A Region as Destination:
Towards a Place Branding Strategy for the
North of Portugal
Eduardo Oliveira
Department of Spatial Planning and Environment, Faculty of Spatial Sciences
University of Groningen, The Netherlands

2. Contents
 Background of the discussion;
 The growing complexity &
challenges Portugal and N.PT.;
 Tourism as necessary (…);
The economic impact (…);
 Research question;
 What is place branding;
 What is strategic planning?
 What are the links?
 Contribute for the development;
 Towards a place branding strategy;

3. Places have a past, a present and aspire to a promising future.
Places often emphasise the
historical, social, human, and
cultural assets, features….
However…

4. The growing complexity in places, such as cities and regions
Challenges
Major issues
Albrechts, 2010
de Roo & Rauws, 2012
Approaching the
research area
European Union Portugal North of Portugal

5. Places are facing crucial issues, causing structural change (Albrechts, 2010)
Financial crisis
Economic crisis
Social crisis
Unemployment rates, European Union (Eurostat, July 2012)

6. Portugal is facing challenges I
Unemployment
Economic stagnation
Government debt
Source: Portugal Bank, http://www.bportugal.pt Economic growth feeble or negative

7. Portugal is also facing challenges II
Low purchasing power Relocation / Bankrupt
Minimum Wage in
Some EU
Countries
Google

8. The North of Portugal is also facing challenges I
Resident Pop.: 3,741,092
Statistical cities: 53
Towns: 199
Viana do Castelo
Bragança
Braga
Guimarães
North of Portugal
Porto
INE; Google Maps

9. The North of Portugal is also facing challenges II
Unemployment
Recipients of
unemployment benefits of
Social Security
40%
Portuguese Parliament, 16/10/2012
North of Portugal
% Unit: thousands
Source: Statistics Portugal; Bank of Portugal, 2012 42% of the Unemployed pop in Portugal

10. 4 different types of response
Framework for change
The role of planners & place managers
Reactive
 Rear-view mirror Portugal as tourism destination
Inactive
Going with the flow
Pre-active
Preparing for the future
North as tourism destination
Pro-active
 Designing the future – making it happen
 Creative thinking about possible futures
 How to get there?
there
Why tourism? Why the region as destination?

11. Tourism as necessary for an
economic and social transformation Why?
response to the contemporary challenges
Portugal as tourism destination Experience
Source: IPDT, http://www.ipdt.pt/ficheiros_upload/IPDT%20-%20Barometro%20Internacional(1).pdf, October 2012

12. Tourism as necessary for an
economic and social transformation Why?
response to the contemporary challenges
Portugal as tourism destination Attractiveness
Source: IPDT, http://www.ipdt.pt/ficheiros_upload/IPDT%20-%20Barometro%20Internacional(1).pdf, October 2012

13. Tourism as necessary for an
economic and social transformation Why?
response to the contemporary challenges
Portugal as tourism destination Image
Source: IPDT, http://www.ipdt.pt/ficheiros_upload/IPDT%20-%20Barometro%20Internacional(1).pdf, October 2012

14. Tourism as necessary for an
economic and social transformation Why?
response to the contemporary challenges
Portugal as tourism destination Product
Source: IPDT, http://www.ipdt.pt/ficheiros_upload/IPDT%20-%20Barometro%20Internacional(1).pdf, October 2012

15. Tourism as necessary for an
Why? economic and social transformation
response to the contemporary challenges
The Economic Impact of Tourism in Portugal GDP
2011 GDP (direct contribution): 5.3%
US$bn
GDP (total contribution): 15.2%
Source: Portugal Economic Impact Report, The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
http://www.wttc.org/site_media/uploads/downloads/portugal2012.pdf

16. Tourism as necessary for an
Why? economic and social transformation
response to the contemporary challenges
The Economic Impact of Tourism in Portugal Employment
Direct contribution Total contribution - 2011: 17.8%
Expected to increase 1.2%
2011
jobs
Total contribution - 2022: 19%
Source: Portugal Economic Impact Report, The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
http://www.wttc.org/site_media/uploads/downloads/portugal2012.pdf

17. Tourism as necessary for an
Why? economic and social transformation
response to the contemporary challenges
The Economic Impact of Tourism in Portugal
2011 2011 2012 2022 2022 2022
US$bn % of total growth US$bn % of total growth
Source: Portugal Economic Impact Report, The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
http://www.wttc.org/site_media/uploads/downloads/portugal2012.pdf

18. Challenges Tourism
Place Branding Strategic Spatial Planning
Why? How?
The national program for spatial planning
Place branding can be used as strategic spatial
planning instrument to support a strategic change
in direction of regions (e.g. image; position)
Embedding of tourism for regional development
Response to the challenges?

19. What is our understanding about Place Branding?
If branding is a part of If branding is wider than
marketing, then branding marketing, then branding
is: is:
 Communication tool;  A strategic development tool;
 A task for advertisers and  A task for local authorities
graphic designers; and stakeholders; planners;
 Disconnected from the  Connected to the place's
place's identities; identities;
 Apolitical;  Effective in creating
 Ineffective in creating sense/pride of place;
sense/pride of place;  Effective in attracting
 Ineffective in attracting investment;
investment;  Effective in attracting visitors;
 Effective in attracting  Effective in attracting talent
visitors. people/researchers;
Kalandides, Kavaratzis & Ashworth, 2010

20. What is our understanding about Place Branding?
“A place brand strategy is a plan for defining
the most realistic, most competitive and
most compelling strategic vision for the place” (Anholt, 2003).
“Place branding as a long-term strategic activity” (Hankison, 2010).
“Place branding can be used as at least part of policies aimed at:
 To fostering economic restructuring;
 Community participation ;
 Political engagement;
engagement
 To secure visibility, create value;
value
To reinforce local identity;
 To reinforce the physical and psychological well-being of citizens
To achieve competitive advantage (e.g.):
To increase inward investment;
investment
To increase tourism revenues”;
revenues” (Ashworth, 2010).

21. What is strategic spatial planning?
… As response to challenges at Determining the strengths
economic and social level. and weaknesses
…what a place is and what it e ?
et t he r
w to g
might become.
Ho
A run for specified goals
Where do we want to go?
Designing the future.
Prepare a response.
Enabling change.
Friedmann, 1982; Throgmorton, 1996; Kotter, 1996; Innes & Booher, 1999;
Kunzmann, 2000; Hillier, 2002; Healey, 2007; Albrechts, 2010; 2012.

22. What is strategic spatial planning?
A transformative and integrative public sector, co-productive,
sector co-productive
socio-spatial process through which visions or frames of
reference, the justification for coherent actions, and the means
for implementation are produced that shape, frame and
shape
reframe…
…what a place is and what it might become.
As response to challenges at economic and social level;
Active force in enabling change;
Focuses on determining the strengths and weaknesses;
weaknesses
Focuses on place qualities and assets (e.g. cultural,
physical and social);
Albrechts, (2010; 2012) Healey, (1997, 2006) Kunzmann, (2000)

23. What is strategic planning? Characteristics
Not authoritarian &
Negotiated & participatory prescriptive
Pro-active Not reactive
Flexible Not rigid
Integrative Not sectoral
Not confined to single
Transcends spatial jurisdictions
jurisdiction
Ashworth et al.,
2010

24. Place Branding Strategic Planning
What are the links?
Highlight assets Inclusiveness
Envisioning -Visions Common engagement
Common objectives
Create identity
Communication –
Radical change Tourism message
spatial context
Dynamic/creative
Development
process
Strategic thinking towards a place branding strategy

25. What is going on in terms of Place & Destination Branding?
mm-dd-yy
| 25
Spatial Scale Country
Award of Best Tourism Film
Place branding or country promotion? Any strategy?

26. What is going on in terms of Place & Destination Branding?
mm-dd-yy
| 26
Spatial Scale North region of Portugal
GOALS?
Talent
Investment? Tourism?
attraction?
Economic
Cohesion? Engagement?
restructuring?
Place Branding or Any place branding
tourism promotion? strategy?

27. Place & Destination Branding and Strategic Planning?
Destination Portugal

28. What is strategic for the region as destination?
North of Portugal

29. Place & Destination Branding and Strategic Planning?
Tourism Planning?
Urban Planning with goals for tourism? Strategy in it?

30. The National Tourism
Program for
Branding?
Spatial Planning Portugal as
Destination
Mention tourism? Any common place branding strategy?
The National Program for Spatial Planning:
The national program for spatial planning
 Goal 1.10 – Protect and enhance the heritage
 Goal 2.6 – Strategy for tourism
 Goal 3.4 – Tourism as a driving force for less
developed regions in the country
 Goal 4.6 – Boost Cultural tourism
Tourism as key for development

31. The Portuguese strategic planning documents mention branding?
They attempt to any common place branding strategy?
The National Program The Operational
Branding?
for Spatial Planning Branding?
Program for the North
2007-2013
Spatial scale - Portugal Spatial scale - North
The national program for spatial planning
Applying the same methodology
Branding? Marketing? Competitiveness? Development?
Branding
Promotion? Strategy?
Marketing Strategy? Image?
Searching for key words – reading the priorities of the documents

32. The National Program The Operational
Branding?
for Spatial Planning Branding?
Program for the North
2007-2013
Spatial scale - Portugal Spatial scale - North
 No Branding?  Yes
 No Promotion?  Yes
 No Marketing?  Yes
The national program for spatial planning
 No Branding Strategy?  No
 Yes Development?  Yes
(social, economic, e.g.)
 No Image?  Yes
 Yes Territorial  Yes
competitiveness?
 No Marketing Strategy?  No

33. How can a place branding strategy contribute to the
development of the North of Portugal as destination?
General
Development
Well-being of
citizens
Enhance the
regional More control of
competiviveness environment
Natural places
Enhance
regional
identity

34. Place Branding Strategy – Region as destination – does it work?
Integrated in a
Functional,
wide strategy
physical
attributes
Clear focus on
limited
objectives
The national program for spatial planning
Select the right
It is not a strategies
magic solution
Engage
Analyse of
stakeholders existing images
Zineldin, 2002; Rainisto, 2003; Ashworth & Kavaratzis, 2010; Hankinson, 2010

35. References
- Albrechts, L. (2012). Reframing strategic spatial planning by using a coproduction perspective. Planning
Theory, 0, 01–18.
- Albrechts, L. (2010). More of the same is not enough! How could strategic spatial planning be instrumental
in dealing with the challenges ahead?. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 37, 1115–1127.
- Ashworth, G. (2005). Can a Dutch city become Italian? A strategic change of heart in Groningen,
Netherlands. In F. Martinelli (Ed.), La Plianificazione strategic in Italia e in Europa Francoangeli, Milan, 181-
202.
- Ashworth, G. (2009). The Instruments of Place Branding: How is it done? European Spatial Research and
Policy, 16, 9-22.
- Ashworth, G. and Kavaratzis, M. (Eds.) (2010). Towards Effective Place Brand Management - Branding
The national program for spatial planning
European Cities and Regions. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
Ashworth, G.(2011). Should we brand places?. Journal of town and city management. 1,3, 248-252.
- Hankinson, G., (2010). Place Branding Theory: A Cross-Domain Literature Review from a Marketing
Perspective. In G. Ashworth and M. Kavaratzis (Eds.) Towards Effective Place Brand Management-Branding
European Cities and Regions (pp.15-35). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
- Kavaratzis, M. and Ashworth, G. (2008). Place marketing: how did we get here and where are we going?
Journal of Place Management and Development 1(2), 150-165.
- Kavaratzis, M., and Ashworth, G. (2010). Place branding: where do we stand? In G. Ashworth and M.
Kavaratzis (Eds.) Towards Effective Place Brand Management - Branding European Cities and Regions.
Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, (pp. 1-14).
-Statistics Portugal (2012). Tourism Statistics–2011, http://www.ine.pt/
-Future Brand (2012), http://www.futurebrand.com/
(others)

36. Eduardo Oliveira
e.h.da.silva.oliveira@rug.nl
http://www.rug.nl/staff/e.h.da.silva.oliveira
https://twitter.com/eduoliveira98
Any questions?