Brand Management of Urban Tourist Destination Based on Dimensions of Tourist Attractiveness

Abstract

At the very core of an urban tourist destination is a multidimensional construct of tourist attractiveness, which should be appealing to potential tourists and influence their decision to visit. Given the challenges of increasing global competition and the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, urban destinations must adequately identify the key dimensions of their attractiveness and ensure their visibility and differentiation. The purpose of this paper is to identify the role that different dimensions of tourist attractiveness have in managing the brand of an urban tourist destination, with a special focus on forming the expectations, attitudes and intentions of potential tourists. The methodology used in the paper includes: theoretical conceptualization of urban tourist destination, definition of dimensions of tourist attractiveness and determining the role that dimensions of tourist attractiveness have in managing the brand of urban tourist destinations. One of the conclusions of the research presented in the paper is that the dimensions of tourist attractiveness, both physical and social, play a key role in the strategic processes of brand management of an urban tourist destination.