Purpose This paper aims to introduce the place characteristics framework (PCF), a design-informed tool that reframes place identity models through a symbolic lens to support the identification and organisation of visually and culturally meaningful attributes. The PCF categorises place characteristics across natural, built and social domains to structure early-stage symbolic inquiry.Design/methodology/approach The framework was developed through a multi-phase, mixed-method, design-led research process, including comparative synthesis of existing frameworks, visual analysis of curated national imagery and exploratory testing with practitioners and design students.Findings The study demonstrates how the PCF functions as a structured research scaffold, enabling designers and place practitioners to surface, organise and reflect on place-specific symbolic material prior to visual translation. Initial testing indicates its usefulness in supporting early-stage identity development within participatory and strategic contexts.Originality/value While place branding scholarship recognises the importance of symbolism, existing models provide limited structured support for identifying and organising "symbolic DNA" of place - the pool of culturally meaningful characteristics that can be translated into symbolic form. The PCF contributes a design-oriented perspective to place branding by offering a transferable framework that bridges conceptual place identity models and symbolic exploration.
Purpose In response to growing environmental pressures and evolving visitor expectations, the hospitality sector is increasingly adopting sustainability practices that extend beyond firm-level performance to influence pre-travel destination-level evaluation processes and hospitality brand positioning. This study aims to examine how pro-environmental measures and social influence affect anticipated destination experiences, satisfaction and star-rated evaluations of accommodation brands. It focuses specifically on star-rated hotels (not the wider hospitality sector) in South Africa as places that influence destination experience, an underresearched tourism context. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model linking pro-environmental measures and social influence on star-rated brand outcomes through anticipated destination experience was developed and tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling on survey data collected from 816 potential guests in Germany and India. Findings The results indicate that pro-environmental measures and social influence positively influence anticipated destination experience, which mediates their relationship with specific hotel brand evaluation outcomes, particularly brand association and uniqueness, as well as visitor satisfaction. However, anticipated experience does not directly strengthen overall star-rated accommodation brand equity unless premium service expectations are perceived as compatible with sustainability initiatives. A perceived trade-off between green initiatives and luxury weakens the effectiveness of sustainability efforts in upscale contexts, while social influence mitigates this trade-off by reinforcing the credibility and acceptance of green practices. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by extending the Stimulus−Organism−Response framework to examine how hospitality sustainability practices function as salient sustainability signals within tourists’ destination evaluation processes. The findings demonstrate how sustainability practices serve as experiential cues that shape anticipated destination meanings and influence specific hotel brand evaluations through pre-travel cognitive appraisal processes, positioning star-rated hotels as influential destination place-brand touchpoints. This study provides practical insights for balancing environmental credibility with premium service delivery in sustainability-driven hospitality positioning and destination marketing communications.
Purpose This paper aims to explore how arts-based methods can foster place-based innovation and affective activation in rural areas, focusing on the Duemila30 Film Residency in Cassine, Italy. It examines how the filmmaking residency can activate the community’s sense of place and promote sustainable alternatives to mass tourism and place commodification. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative and inductive approach combining affective ethnography and thematic analysis, the study draws on interviews and focus groups with residents and filmmakers, in addition to participant observation. Findings Results highlight some fundamental characteristics of arts-based methods to create meaningful connections with the residents to co-construct and foster place-based innovation. Hospitality, reflexivity, co-creation and shared responsibility transformed the artistic collaboration into a community-building experience. The residency fostered affective bonds, renewed local identity and opened pathways toward proximity tourism and proximity economics. Research limitations/implications Limitations of this research come from the short duration of the project, which only amounts to two editions and from the lack of data and indicators on the effective transformation of the community in the future. Originality/value The paper advances a process model of arts-based community-driven reflection on sense of place, illustrating how artistic collaboration can generate meaningful place-based innovation and affective activation in rural contexts by privileging process over product, relationship over commodification and identity co-creation with communities.
Purpose The rapid growth of mass tourism has increasingly pressured local ecosystems and community structures, exposing the limitations of conventional state-led regulatory frameworks and demanding new management paradigms. This paper aims to examine how social innovation, operationalised through collaborative networks, can act as a transformative driver of sustainable development in tourist destinations.Design/methodology/approach Grounded in a qualitative analysis of Ra & iacute;zes Desenvolvimento Sustent & aacute;vel (RDS), a Brazilian social enterprise and certified B Corp, the study investigates the complex dynamics among community associations, private-sector stakeholders and public institutions. Through the lens of RDS's role as a strategic mediator across multiple Brazilian territories, the research moves beyond broad claims about the value of networks to identify specific mechanisms of participatory governance and active listening that empower local leadership.Findings The findings suggest that, in the Global South, social innovation is not merely a reactive response to overtourism, but rather a proactive framework capable of reshaping power dynamics and safeguarding territorial sovereignty. This case study enriches the existing literature by illustrating how social entrepreneurship can effectively bridge the gap between global tourism pressures and the socio-environmental priorities of traditional communities.Originality/value This paper presents an original case study that contributes to the existing literature by empirically demonstrating how a private company can operate with a social impact purpose through social innovation. The findings highlight that active and structured listening, by fostering community protagonism, not only strengthens participatory processes but also generates tangible benefits that can mitigate the negative impacts of overtourism. By doing so, this study advances the understanding of the private sector's role as a driver of social transformation and provides novel insights for sustainable tourism destination management.
PurposeThis paper aims to examine how governance structures and actor dynamics shape knowledge integration in digital place innovation. Collaborative governance research emphasizes coordination and consensus-building, but less is known about how municipalities and private firms integrate heterogeneous knowledge systems when co-creating digital solutions for urban centers. Conceptualizing digital place innovation as an epistemic process of translation, this study introduces the concept of knowledge-integrated governance and asks: how do governance structures and actor dynamics, both between and within organizations, shape knowledge integration in digital place innovation? Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a three-year embedded research design within a Swedish municipal organization, in which the author participated actively in digital innovation processes while maintaining sustained reflexive practice. Data collection includes in-depth interviews spanning municipal administration, elected officials and commercial and civic actors, alongside dialogic workshops. Episodes were selected through theoretical sampling, focusing on moments where collaboration became unsettled or ambiguous. Two condensed cases were constructed as analytically focused reconstructions. Analysis followed an abductive logic with Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) as the integrative lens, complemented by collaborative governance, institutional logics and institutional work. FindingsThree interconnected patterns are identified: unclear mandates and dispersed responsibility, divergent understandings of digital place innovation both between and within organizations and fragmented translation work dependent on individual initiative. Together, these constitute an integration void, defined as the structural absence of mechanisms for bridging epistemic differences. Collaboration rarely collapses through conflict but through gradual drift, as promising initiatives fail to consolidate and learning remains unanchored. This study further identifies WIL as an infrastructural governance capability that can stabilize epistemic work beyond individual actors and temporary project cycles. Originality/valueThis paper contributes to place management research by reframing collaboration problems as epistemic rather than solely structural challenges, and by showing that governance failure manifests not primarily through conflict but through gradual drift when knowledge integration lacks institutional anchoring. It introduces the concept of knowledge-integrated governance as an analytical framework for place-based digital innovation. By repositioning WIL from an educational concept to an infrastructural governance capability, this study offers new theoretical tools for understanding and designing arrangements that support sustained epistemic negotiation across organizational boundaries.
Purpose This study aims to examine how visual governance functions as a place brand management strategy in peripheral rural areas, addressing the rural internal micro-translation gap in existing place branding literature. It investigates how resource-constrained local administrations can transition from metric-based auditing to identity-based management through internal branding, overcoming bureaucratic rigidity by translating performance metrics into shared place narratives among civil servants. Design/methodology/approach Adopting an embedded action research approach within a rural district in Taiwan, the study analyses administrative documents and empirical artefacts (e.g. visual identity systems, local magazines) as boundary objects mediating between bureaucratic logic and local tacit knowledge. Through open and axial coding of interviews, field observations and visual artefacts, it develops a Micro-Translation Model that explicates the internal administrative processes underpinning visual governance. Findings The study identifies a Micro-Translation Model for internal place brand governance grounded in three recursive mechanisms: identity negotiation, narrative pivot and institutionalisation. Findings indicate that incorporating geographical and cultural knowledge into administrative symbols strengthens internal brand buy-in, transforming census data into micro-narratives enhances social permeability and embedding visual and narrative practices into templates, editorial routines and authorisation procedures helps stabilise place branding as a repeatable administrative capability. Together, these mechanisms facilitate a shift from rigid metric-based governance to narrative-led place management. Originality/value This paper bridges the gap between externally oriented promotion and internal branding in public administration by specifying how visual artefacts operate as boundary objects within rural bureaucracies. It offers a contextually grounded yet theoretically suggestive governance framework for peripheral rural administrations and similar resource-constrained settings, demonstrating that visual artefacts are not merely aesthetic outputs but critical management tools for constructing public value and informing place-sensitive policy design.
PurposeThis study aims to investigate how stakeholder cocreation in 3D city mapping initiatives can extend the role of digital urban platforms beyond administrative efficiency toward the negotiation and enhancement of place attractiveness. Drawing on a participatory case study of Trollhättan, Sweden, the paper explores the needs, expectations and aspirations articulated by diverse stakeholder groups regarding collaborative 3D mapping, and examines how these perspectives, when enacted through cocreation processes, shape and negotiate place attractiveness in small- and mid-sized cities. Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts an abductive case-study design, integrating the social construction of technology (SCOT) theory, participatory design and place attractiveness research into an analytical framework. Primary data were generated through eight cocreation workshops involving 32 participants across five stakeholder clusters in Trollhättan. Data were analyzed using a three-step thematic coding process of open, axial and selective coding, supported by a coding matrix linking empirical themes to theoretical constructs. The case-study approach enables contextualized understanding of complex socio-technical dynamics in a small- and mid-sized city context. FindingsThe findings show that stakeholders interpret the 3D map not merely as an administrative visualization tool but as an evolving socio-technical platform through which diverse needs, expectations and aspirations are articulated and place attractiveness is negotiated and coproduced. Across six themes, stakeholders articulated diverse expectations related to visualization, usability, data integration, real-time responsiveness, civic dialogue and temporal representation. These interpretations reflect distinct technological frames shaped by stakeholders’ institutional roles and lived experiences. The analysis demonstrates that identical technical features acquire multiple meanings, activating different dimensions of place attractiveness. Consequently, collaborative 3D mapping functions as a participatory infrastructure in which urban value is continuously negotiated, extending place attractiveness beyond static representations toward dynamic, socio-technical engagement. Originality/valueThe study makes three contributions. An integrated analytical framework combining SCOT, participatory design and place attractiveness research is developed to explain how stakeholder cocreation on digital urban platforms shapes multiple dimensions of place attractiveness. Place attractiveness theory is advanced by introducing a temporal dimension, arguing that attractiveness in digital contexts spans past, present and future rather than reflecting present-state evaluations alone. Finally, participation is reframed not as input preceding design decisions, but as an ongoing process in which urban meaning is continuously negotiated within, and partly constituted by, the platform itself.
PurposeThis study aims to examine how smart city attributes are perceived by visitors and represented in the official digital communication of ten Latin American cities. It investigates how city branding, smart city strategies and smart tourism intersect through digital media. Design/methodology/approachAdopting a layered mixed-methods design, this research combines a 2022 survey on visitor perceptions with a qualitative analysis of digital communication from official tourism accounts, conducted in two phases (2022–2025). FindingsResults reveal partial misalignments between visitor perceptions of “smartness” and institutional branding. While official narratives emphasize cultural and environmental imagery, they often underrepresent governance, innovation and mobility. Yet visitors interpret smartness through emotional and symbolic cues, while cities preserve coherence via visual storytelling that sustains recognizable meaning across platforms. Research limitations/implicationsThe focus on ten cities and reliance on retrospective visitor perceptions may limit generalizability and introduce recall bias. Future studies could incorporate other stakeholder perspectives and longitudinal analyses to explore how smart city branding evolves. Practical implicationsFindings offer guidance for city managers and policymakers to integrate smart city principles into branding strategies. Promoting coherence between institutional narratives and lived experience can enhance legitimacy and engagement. Originality/valueThe theoretical contribution of this study lies in integrating city branding, smart cities and smart tourism into a unified framework. By introducing a continuum of alignment between visitor perceptions and institutional representations, it establishes coherence as a primary analytical lens. Furthermore, it reframes “smartness” as a socio-symbolic and experiential construct, shifting the paradigm beyond purely technological definitions through an analysis of LATAM cities.
PurposeThis study aims to address the challenge of evaluating place brand identity implementation over time in dynamic local contexts. Using the case study of the Vision Naturno 2030+, it proposes a conceptual model grounded in design science research (DSR) to assess how the intended place brand identity is enacted through governance, public discourse and stakeholder perception.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies Hevner's three-cycle model of DSR to develop a multi-method evaluation model integrating expert interviews, a mixed-method questionnaire, social media analysis and strategic document review. The model is developed as an evaluative extension of Botschen et al.'s (2017) Brand-driven Identity Development of Places (BIDP) framework, addressing the original framework's limited capacity for structured monitoring and adaptive feedback.FindingsThe application of the model in Naturno reveals strong institutional alignment with the Vision across strategic instruments and community initiatives but also exposes gaps in public communication and tourism governance. The model enables iterative learning and supports a more adaptive, stakeholder-informed management of place brand identities.Originality/valueThis study makes a dual contribution. First, it extends the BIDP framework by integrating an evaluation dimension, addressing the broader gap in place branding literature concerning the absence of systematic mechanisms for assessing brand identity implementation. Second, it demonstrates how DSR can be used in management contexts to construct theory-informed, practice-validated tools for managing place brand identity in dynamic, stakeholder-rich contexts, with particular relevance for rural and tourism-impacted settings.
PurposePublic art is a vital contributor to urban placemaking and provides numerous economic, social and cultural benefits. Main streets are hubs of urban activity and are often managed by organizations, such as Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), that install and manage public art. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to explore the impact of public art within main streets and the value of resources for stakeholders to evaluate these impacts, in addition to building a framework to inform the development of evaluation tools and techniques targeted to main street organizations.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative exploratory study involved a thematic analysis of semi-structured key informant interviews with 10 main street representatives based in Toronto, Canada, as well as a content analysis of BIA websites.FindingsThis research corroborates previous literature on the economic, social and cultural impacts of public art, which often focuses on public art in cities and large urban areas, and demonstrates that many of these impacts also apply to the hyper-local context of main streets. Additionally, main street stakeholders have a need for resources to aid in evaluating and disseminating these impacts to assist with improved decision-making, securing funding and garnering support for public art projects.Originality/valueThis study explores the impacts of public art within the context of main streets and puts forth a public art impact matrix for main streets informed by literature and interview findings, as a foundational framework to further the development of resources to evaluate the impacts of public art in main street communities.
PurposeOpposition to change is a critical barrier for coastal transitions. It is recently argued that such opposition may arise from "climax thinking", the belief that current landscapes have reached an ideal state and should remain as they are. However, people's evaluations of place over time (past, present and future) remain understudied, leaving it unknown whether climax thinking is common, whether other evaluations prevail, and what impact these have on support for change. This study aims to explore how residents evaluate the Belgian coast over time and whether this affects acceptance of "blue projects" that involve changes to the place (i.e. development of dunes, dikes, aquaculture, ports, tourism) and their place attachment.Design/methodology/approachData were collected among 406 Belgian coastal residents. Respondents' evaluations of the coast over time were used for cluster analysis. Chi-square and ANOVA tests revealed whether identified clusters differed in socio-demographics, acceptance of blue projects and place attachment.FindingsFour clusters emerged: strong pessimists, moderate pessimists, climax thinkers and optimists. There was no evidence that climax thinking was characterized by lower acceptance. Instead, optimism increased and pessimism decreased acceptance, except for dunes. Climax thinking and optimism were characterized by higher attachment, whilst (strong) pessimism seemed to weaken place attachment.Originality/valueThis study advances understanding of residents' evaluation of the Belgian coast over time, revealing four profile types and how these relate to acceptance of blue projects and place attachment. This demonstrates the value of investigating climax thinking - alongside optimism and pessimism - to better understand and address factors influencing openness to change.
PurposeThis study aims to examine how bricolage and proximity tourism intersect to advance regional revitalization through cultural asset regeneration. Focusing on the Yuejin Lantern Festival (YLF) in Tainan, Taiwan, it explores how local actors mobilize heritage, creativity and limited resources to stimulate economic and social renewal.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study design integrates document analysis, semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Drawing on bricolage theory, the study develops a Discovery-Evaluation-Exploitation (D-E-E) cycle that captures how grassroots actors continually recombine tangible and intangible resources over time. The model is contrasted with Taiwan's Five Arrows policy, highlighting distinctions between community-driven temporal processes and concurrent state strategies.FindingsFindings show that bricolage enables adaptive reuse of abandoned docks, canals, warehouses and historic sites, alongside reinterpretations of intangible heritage such as the Yuejin Eight Views. These practices not only activate underutilized spaces but also strengthen community participation and place identity. Proximity tourism emerges as a critical driver: by attracting primarily domestic and regional visitors, YLF mitigates overtourism while fostering sustainable cultural experiences rooted in local identity.Practical implicationsThe study contributes conceptually by linking bricolage with proximity tourism as mechanisms for bottom-up revitalization. Practically, it offers a transferable framework for policymakers and community leaders seeking to balance heritage preservation, participatory governance and innovative regional development.Originality/valueBy highlighting grassroots creativity and adaptive governance, the research underscores the role of proximity tourism as a catalyst for bottom-up revitalization.
Purpose This paper aims to examine why the promise of English devolution has not translated into effective renewal in “left-behind” towns. Drawing on the author’s dual experience as academic and community practitioner in Southport, this paper identifies three under-recognised civic challenges – fiscal misalignment, local information disorder and institutional inertia – that constrain the capacity of devolution to deliver empowerment. The paper argues that these barriers must be addressed for devolution to achieve inclusive and sustainable outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The study combines first-hand practice-based observation from a community regeneration project in Southport with a review of contemporary policy and sociological literature on devolution, civic ecology and place governance. This hybrid civic–analytic approach links micro-level placemaking experience with macro-level institutional structures to reveal how fiscal, communicative and organisational systems interact to enable or inhibit generative local development. Findings Despite broad agreement on devolution’s aims, practical delivery is undermined by systemic misalignments. Centralised business-rate regimes remove incentives for local growth; degraded local information ecosystems amplify gossip and mistrust; and austerity-driven capacity gaps produce risk-averse institutional cultures. Together, these factors inhibit cooperation, distort perception and perpetuate civic decline even amid new investment programmes. Research limitations/implications As a reflective case-based study centred on one locality, findings are context-specific but illuminate wider governance patterns. Further comparative research could test the proposed “generative ecological” model across regions to refine theoretical understanding of civic capacity, feedback loops and multi-scalar governance within devolution frameworks. Practical implications Effective devolution requires reforms beyond policy rhetoric: fiscal autonomy pilots, investment in civic communication infrastructures and targeted capacity-building for councils and intermediaries. Local authorities and combined authorities can operationalise these through micro-grants, secondments and simplified procurement fostering community-enterprise collaboration. Social implications Without rebuilding trust and feedback within civic ecologies, devolution risks deepening cynicism and social division. Strengthening local journalism, transparent forums, and participatory mechanisms can counter misinformation and re-establish shared civic purpose, enhancing collective agency in left-behind towns. Originality/value The paper introduces the concept of generative civic ecology – an integrative framework linking fiscal, cultural and political systems through cycles of initiation, care and release. By grounding theory in lived experience, it reframes devolution as an ecological process requiring generative feedback rather than one-off policy transfer, offering both conceptual innovation and practical guidance for policymakers and place managers.
Purpose-This study aims to introduce the Adaptive Co-Design Ecosystem for Place Branding (ACE-PB), a governance-oriented process model that integrates design principles within a structured, iterative framework. It seeks to address the lack of a coherent, operational approach that sustains stakeholder engagement, embeds adaptive learning and promotes inclusive governance in place branding contexts. Design/methodology/approach-An integrative literature review was undertaken to synthesise insights from place branding (PB), design thinking (DT) and participatory governance. The review followed a three-stage analytical process consisting of open coding, axial synthesis and conceptual integration applied to 26 studies. Through this process, conceptual patterns were identified, compared and integrated to develop the ACE-PB model. Findings-The proposed model reconceptualises PB as an adaptive form of governance rather than a promotional activity. It demonstrates how design-informed principles, such as iteration, empathy and institutional learning, can structure participation and enable long-term legitimacy and collaboration. Practical implications-The model provides policymakers and place managers with a structured approach to embed co-creation, reflection and continuous evaluation within place-branding governance. It outlines the competencies, resources and institutional arrangements required to operationalise adaptive collaboration. Originality/value-This research contributes a theoretically grounded and process-based framework that bridges design, PB and governance literatures. It enhances conceptual understanding of participatory branding and offers a foundation for future empirical validation across diverse governance and cultural contexts.
PurposeThis study aims to examine the complex interrelationships between cognitive evaluations (natural atmospherics performance and state park image), affective evaluations (emotional well-being and experiential satisfaction), and place attachment (place identity and place dependence) in shaping life satisfaction and revisit intention among state park visitors. Furthermore, this study investigates the moderating influence of cross-national differences between Korea and the USA.Design/methodology/approachValidity testing, metric-invariance testing and a structural analysis were used to collect data from two distinct cultures, which included the USA and Korea, via a self-administered survey of 620 people. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques to evaluate the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe proposed complex interrelationships among cognitive and affective evaluations, place attachment, life satisfaction and intention are mostly supported with proof that place identity of tourists influences their life satisfaction and repeat visit intention. Moreover, the findings reveal that place attachment works similarly among diverse groups of tourists, which is regardless of their cross-national differences. The attachment bonds of visitors with state parks could be stronger than their cross-national differences.Practical implicationsThe findings concluded that intention of repeat visits to state parks is a function of place attachment and affective evaluations as the direct antecedents of place attachment, which are influenced by the cognitive evaluations of tourists. State Park managers could promote state parks differently in different regions of the world by developing culturally diverse promotional strategies that will enhance traveler perception that are in conjunction with their cultural perspectives.Originality/valueThis research is one of the few studies that use and combine the attachment theory and the social exchange theory to understand human behaviors and relationships with nature. This study particularly focuses on noneconomic value domains as the natural atmospherics and image of state parks, which include a specific emphasis on the moderating role of cross-national differences among constructs in the USA and Korea. The proposed framework contains sufficient prediction power for repeat visit intentions.
PurposeThis study aims to critically evaluate the knowledge on place marketing and branding by offering a comprehensive investigation of 63 systematic literature review (SLR) articles that were published between 2002 and 2024.Design/methodology/approachThis study integrates elements of a typical systematic review with aspects of critical narrative reviewing. In particular, the paper develops a critical appraisal of SLRs by combining the approaches of Gough's (2007) and Aromataris et al. (2015) and performs an evaluation of SLRs' contribution to knowledge (Palmatier et al., 2018). Overall, the paper resonates with the spirit permeating the work of Alvesson et al. (2017) and their discussion on meaningful research in academi.FindingsBesides identifying reiterated claims and unsolved issues, as well as the most common pitfalls in executing a systematic review, the study emphasises notable review papers that are rigorously executed and indicate fruitful directions at the intersection of destination-related and urban studies. Recurrent failures and constructive efforts in bringing knowledge forward are emphasised in a context that is being quickly reshaped by AI research tools.Originality/valueThis "review of reviews" calls for a more pondered use of systematic reviewing in place branding and marketing. Furthermore, the study problematises the redeeming role often assigned to systematic reviewing within current management scholarship (Maclure, 2005).
This paper aims to explore the underutilized potential of pilgrimage routes to contribute meaningfully to the sustainable development of the rural areas they cross. While these routes successfully attract visitors, the impact often fails to benefit nearby communities. The study analyzes how these routes can be leveraged as strategic tools for rural revitalization, cultural heritage promotion and stakeholder collaboration, based on insights from the rurAllure project and its four European pilot studies. The study uses a qualitative methodology, including in-depth expert interviews, SWOT analysis and pilot-based experimentation. Four diverse pilgrimage routes across Europe – Santiago de Compostela, Rome, Trondheim and Csíksomlyó/Mária Út – serve as case studies. Each pilot focused on a specific type of heritage (literary, thermal, ethnographic, natural) and reflected the sociocultural characteristics of its territory. This comparative approach enabled the identification of strategic areas of action and the formulation of context-sensitive recommendations for integrating rural heritage with pilgrimage-based tourism. The research reveals a limited integration between pilgrimage routes and their surrounding rural landscapes. Although these routes generate high visitor traffic, nearby areas remain excluded from the associated cultural and economic benefits. The findings highlight opportunities to develop synergies through slow tourism practices, intersectoral cooperation and heritage-driven programming. The study offers a set of actionable recommendations to enhance the territorial impact of pilgrimage tourism and to support the sustainable transformation of marginal rural regions. The research is limited by its qualitative nature and context-specific pilots, which may affect the generalizability of results. However, the comparative framework provides valuable insights applicable to other regions facing similar challenges. Future studies could incorporate longitudinal approaches or quantitative data to assess long-term impacts. The implications suggest that stronger policy support and local capacity-building are needed to replicate successful interventions beyond the pilot territories. This study provides tourism planners, local authorities and cultural managers with a strategic framework to strengthen the relationship between pilgrimage routes and rural areas. It offers tools for enhancing community participation, diversifying tourism offerings and designing experiences that connect pilgrims with local heritage. The recommendations also support more equitable distribution of tourism benefits, helping rural communities become active stakeholders in cultural tourism development. The paper underlines the role of pilgrimage routes in promoting social inclusion and cultural continuity in rural areas. By involving local actors and emphasizing slow, experiential tourism, the approach fosters community engagement and intergenerational transmission of intangible heritage. It contributes to mitigating rural depopulation by reinforcing local identity, pride of place and alternative livelihoods based on sustainable tourism practices rooted in cultural values. This research contributes a novel perspective on pilgrimage tourism by shifting the focus from route-centric development to integrated rural revitalization. Its originality lies in combining qualitative, pilot-driven research with strategic policy-oriented recommendations. The rurAllure framework highlights how diverse forms of heritage can enrich the pilgrimage experience while empowering marginalized rural areas. The study offers valuable guidance for scholars and practitioners aiming to align tourism with regional cohesion and cultural sustainability goals.
PurposeThis study aims to segment local residents of a medium-sized city in France that has recently formalized its proximity tourism strategy, based on their perceived place image; explore the willingness of these resident segments to support tourism development using cultural participation variables; and offer insights on how bottom-up strategies and proximity-based tourism can be designed, offering recommendations for destination managers and policymakers seeking to promote inclusive and place-based tourism plans.Design/methodology/approachLatent profile analysis was applied to a sample of 518 residents of Limoges, the historical French porcelain capital and a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts since 2019, based on their responses to a perception survey containing 16 destination image items. The survey also included measures of pro-tourism behavioral intentions, cultural participation (as a proxy for civic engagement), and sociodemographic variables. Chi-squared tests and ANOVA were used to examine whether sociodemographic and behavioral variables varied significantly across latent profiles. While image perception approaches can be applied to any destination, linking resident perceptions to proximity-based tourism is particularly relevant in the context of Limoges - a city with limited transport connections, lacking iconic landmarks and whose tourism strategy primarily targets local families and excursionists - offering insights for aligning tourism plans with what the local community values and engages with.FindingsThe findings suggest the presence of three resident groups - called Enthusiasts, Moderately satisfied and Discontented - and show that these groups differ in both cultural participation and tourism-related intentions. The Enthusiasts, who hold the most favorable image of the city, were more likely to recommend it as a tourist destination than the Discontented, and they also reported higher levels of participation in cultural activities, specifically visits to museums.Practical implicationsThe results offer valuable insights for destination managers and local authorities aiming to design tourism strategies that align with community perspectives. Elements of local heritage - such as porcelain in this case - that are positively perceived across resident groups can serve as unifying symbols in promotional efforts, strengthening place identity and encouraging individuals to reinterpret familiar surroundings from new perspectives, thereby fostering innovative forms of territorial appeal. Conversely, shared concerns - such as dissatisfaction with transport infrastructure - highlight areas where targeted improvements could enhance both resident quality of life and the visitor experience. Notably, residents who reported higher levels of cultural participation - such as frequent museum visits - also tended to hold a more favorable image of the place. This suggests that encouraging participation in cultural life may positively shape how residents perceive and promote their city. Therefore, policies that increase access to cultural experiences, alongside inclusive urban development and community-based storytelling, may foster broader support for sustainable, proximity-based tourism initiatives.Originality/valueWhile tourist segmentation is common in tourism research, the segmentation of local residents based on their perceived image of the place they live in has received limited attention. This study goes further by examining not only residents' image perceptions and tourism-related intentions but also their cultural participation, postulating that higher levels of engagement with what the city has to offer may foster stronger support for promotional initiatives. By integrating these dimensions, the study provides one of the few examples of resident segmentation that considers how image perception, cultural participation and tourism intentions jointly inform strategies for attracting proximity visitors, who - because of physical and cultural closeness - may share similar views with local residents. Beyond Limoges, the approach offers transferable insights for post-industrial, medium-sized cities aiming to strengthen their attractiveness through community-aligned tourism development.
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore Finnish public saunas as third places. Taking the theoretical lens of assemblage thinking, the study reveals how the socio-material capacities of public sauna assemblages enable and/or constrain public saunas to facilitate their unique social atmosphere.Design/methodology/approachThis study develops insights from an interpretative data set consisting of interviews (n = 39) with sauna bathers in hotel sauna departments, three focus group discussions arranged in a commercial sauna environment, and articles from the Sauna Magazine published between 2018 and 2022.FindingsThe findings demonstrate how the elements of people, spaces and materials contribute to the production of public saunas as holy places, democratic places and experiential places. The study also addresses how socio-material capacities enable public saunas to facilitate their social atmosphere by connecting each assemblage to the four social dimensions - social leveller, regularity, diversity and enjoyment (Yuen and Johnson, 2017) - of third places.Originality/valueThis study extends previous third-place studies by looking beyond human agency in the construction of third places. That is, the study illuminates how the heterogeneity of material elements in collaboration with a variety of people creates diverse third-place assemblages and reveals how the assemblages interact with the social dimensions of public saunas. In particular, the study shows how the finetuned layers of social interaction, including pursuing for silence, facilitate thesocial atmosphere of public saunas.
