1.1. Research Background
Discussions about urban development have exponentially grown around the concepts of sustainable management and city branding [
1]. The studies we consulted for this study highlight the need to introduce sustainability into the city branding strategy and agenda [
2]. Marketing management based on collaborative efforts with stakeholders influences the creation of sustainable city branding by aligning with the characteristics of a specific region [
3]. Understanding the locals’ and visitors’ perspectives on tourism and sustainable city development is important to making the most appropriate decisions about branding strategy [
4].
Moreover, ecotourism and the development of sustainable consciousness are essential in promoting sustainable tourism practices [
5]. Some suggest that the impact of city events, such as festivals, on sustainable tourism is emerging as an area of interest [
6]. Sustainable tourism has recently gained popularity, originating from discussions in reports such as Our Common Future written by Brundtland [
7].
Fernandez et al. [
8] conducted a bibliometric review of sustainable tourism’s effects on the city brand. They argue that sustainable and green city branding, including promoting sustainable tourism, can positively impact a city’s image, competitiveness, and attractiveness to residents, businesses, and visitors. However, it also cautions that such branding efforts must be grounded in genuine sustainable development practices to be effective and credible.
Verances et al. [
1] support this argument by stating that while the destinations have made progress in integrating sustainability into their tourism and branding efforts, substantial hurdles remain in striking the right balance between economic development and safeguarding cultural authenticity.
Cultural tourism in the context of place branding can also contribute to sustainable tourism by engaging with local stakeholders and communities. The integration of cultural assets and environmental awareness can improve visitor satisfaction [
9]. Moreira et al. [
10] support this argument by conducting an exploratory review of sustainable branding. They analyzed 32 articles on this topic and found that the involvement of locals in the process of creating a city image is essential to achieving sustainable development goals that respond to the challenges and needs of the local population.
The involvement of local communities is important because it ensures that the destination’s identity aligns with both local and visitor values. This approach helps create a trustworthy and attractive city image that supports sustainable development [
11,
12].
1.2. Literature Review
Aidoo et al. [
9] suggest that even though environmental responsibility has proven to be an important dimension of sustainable tourism, “its moderating role in the relationship between cultural tourism and sustainable development has not been thoroughly investigated p.1967” [
9]. There has been a constant lack of connecting it to the wider sustainable development theory [
13]. The World Tourism Organization defined sustainable tourism as a form of tourism that manages all resources to meet economic, social, and esthetic needs. At the same time, it maintains cultural integrity and ecological processes [
14].
The aim and objective of sustainable tourism are to create a symmetry between environmental protection and cultural integrity by advocating for social justice and cultivating economic prosperity. This highlights the need to align the demands of the host population, thus enhancing standards of living in the long term [
15,
16]. Consequently, sustainable tourism can drive economic growth while promoting a specific place’s cultural heritage and social unity [
17]. After COVID-19, the field of tourism has been altered and demands a more eco-friendly and socially responsible approach to tourism [
18].
The Brundtland Report first defined the significance of collaborations and partnerships with stakeholders, such as locals, in sustainable development goals in 1987 [
19]. In addition, local communities’ implications and involvement can improve their quality of life and advocate for sustainable tourism strategies [
20].
Some argue that such strategies should be based on community-focused development, including support for local businesses and encouraging the involvement of locals in the decision-making process. This approach not only helps the economy but also secures social equity [
21]. Kusumastuti et al. [
22] state that while smart tourism development focuses on technology adoption, balancing this with local wisdom and inclusivity is crucial. Post-smart tourism concepts emphasize the importance of integrating local values and resources into tourism development to ensure sustainability [
23].
Butler [
24] argues that tourism development must be environmentally and culturally sympathetic to host areas. This requires responsible planning and management, as well as coordination of policies and proactive planning to maintain a symbiotic relationship between tourism and sustainable development. Studies we consulted from the existing literature have also underscored the significance of the place regarding the concept of destination branding in the domain of tourism [
25].
In the context of sustainable tourism, place branding means developing a destination image that cultivates sustainability initiatives involving economic, social, and environmental aspects. This approach aims to attract tourists who promote responsible travel values, maintain competitiveness, and ensure visitors have a great experience. Community engagement and the use of experiential events are effective strategies for transmitting place branding values and promoting sustainable tourism. Sustainable place branding is necessary for improving a destination’s image, trust, value, and loyalty among visitors. It can potentially create unique tourism experiences that align with visitors’ self-perceptions and expectations, leading to positive outcomes such as increased intention to revisit and positive word of mouth [
26].
It is important to incorporate sustainability into place branding strategies. This approach is becoming increasingly recognized as a necessity for combating global challenges regarding tourism while maintaining the viability of destinations [
27]. The integration of cultural assets and environmental awareness can improve visitor satisfaction [
9]. In addition, researchers also argue that specific destinations face challenges regarding sustainable branding, such as environmental concerns, technological advancements, and geopolitical uncertainties. In contrast, they have identified opportunities like promoting responsible tourism, leveraging digital landscapes, and emphasizing wellness and cultural events [
27].
Casakin et al. [
28] argue that place attachment represents individuals’ emotional bonds with a place or location. Place identity refers to the meanings or characteristics people associate with these locations. Place identity is a key factor in city branding because it can help form a singular and authentic image, distinguishing one city from another. Locals can cultivate a feeling of pride through the involvement of culture in the city branding strategy [
29,
30]. Furthermore, residents’ attachment can help create protective attitudes regarding the challenges a city faces. This underscores the importance of brand strategies that reinforce and promote local identities [
31]. A strong sense of belonging among residents mediates the relationship between satisfaction and a positive brand image, highlighting the importance of inclusive branding strategies [
32]. Moreover, residents’ active participation in urban branding initiatives strengthens their emotional ties with the city, positively impacting the brand’s perception [
33].
Some studies support our previous arguments on the benefits of including local communities in the sustainable development strategy [
34,
35], the importance of event management [
6], stakeholder engagement [
36], and the promotion of environmental well-being [
4]. Some argue that sustainability-oriented decisions impact a destination’s tourism strategy [
37]. Gonulluoglu and Selcuk [
38] believe that city branding has emerged as a comprehensive framework that considers various factors that influence visitors and residents. Results show that city branding is strong and emergent, mainly in marketing and place branding. Al-Hinkawi and Zedan [
39] focused on the question regarding the component of city branding and the best sustainable city branding strategies for branding a contemporary city.
They stated that a city must focus on enhancing and developing the brand and all its elements based on history and culture. Ruiz et al. [
40] reinforce this point in a study conducted in Malaga, Spain. They found that the Malaga city brand is built around the concept of culture. Furthermore, Jojic [
41] showcased that sustainable tourism and branding hold symbolic value since they provide cultural meanings and images. Principles of sustainable tourism should be aligned with certain conventions, new strategy development, engaging different stakeholders, and understanding World Heritage.
In addition, quality of life is a significant factor in determining a city’s competitiveness. It influences urban growth and development, often being used as a tool for place promotion and city marketing [
42,
43]. Creating a green infrastructure and sustainable initiatives can improve sustainable tourism and the quality of life for locals [
44]. Research has shown that infrastructure elements, like quality, including urban design and services, play a key role in defining the city’s identity and attractiveness to residents and tourists [
45].
Regarding new trends and technologies, Ahn and Bessiere [
46] highlight how tourism was affected by COVID-19. This nurtured the development of a few emerging topics, such as brand equity, smart tourism and technology, big data and social network platforms, urban and rural tourism, and stakeholders such as residents, tourists, and service providers. In the authors’ acknowledgment, a key element for sustainable destination management is collaboration with stakeholders.
Verances et al. [
1] explore the intersection of sustainable tourism and city branding, focusing on exactly how destinations can balance economic growth with the preservation of authenticity. Key recommendations from the authors include enhancing policy frameworks, increasing stakeholder collaboration for a better and more productive enhancement of sustainable tourism and city branding, and fostering greater awareness among tourists about sustainable practices for a better awareness and understanding of this key concept.
On a national level, Romania’s sustainable tourism is gaining popularity, intending to balance economic development and cultural promotion. Mateoc-Sîrb et al. [
47] state that Maramureș is an area where sustainable tourism can prosper. They also found that this region supports various forms of tourism that contribute to job creation and sustainable development. Gogonea [
48] found that in the “Central development region, which includes counties from the heart of Transylvania (Alba, Brasov, Covasna, Harghita, Mures, and Sibiu), tourist flows are significantly higher than in the other development regions” [
48]. Scutariu, Năstase and Popescu [
49] talk about Romania’s North-East region and compare it with similar parts in Poland and Slovakia. They advocate for implementing sustainable initiatives that maintain this area’s singularity. Tourism specialists in the Carpathian Mountains are engaging in more and more sustainable practices [
50]. These vary according to the comfort level of accommodations. The authors argue that “at the government level, the application of specific incentives could help increase the number of sustainable tourism companies”. On an urban level, cities such as Bucharest and Craiova are exploring sustainable tourism and are now integrating it into the broader urban development strategy [
51,
52]. The authors of 51 adopted a mixed-methods approach in their study. They conducted interviews with experts and developed a survey based on consulting relevant literature to identify the appropriate indicators with the aim of facilitating a sustainable tourism model for Craiova (n = 289). Their model can be applied to similar middle-sized cities in Romania. They found that the city focuses on innovation tourism to build resilience and satisfaction among the local population [
51].
They adopted a quantitative approach and created a survey based on a five-level Likert scale to identify the local’s opinions on sustainable tourism in Bucharest (n = 236). They found that locals care about this topic and want the city’s cultural heritage to be promoted more through different communication strategies.
Researchers are more interested in discovering the perspectives of the locals, as they are considered important stakeholders in city brand management. Savants are adopting different approaches to determine their perceptions of the brand image.
A study [
53] conducted in Bratislava Slovakia aimed to determine how cognitive city brand image impacts emotional attachment to the city and how the residential status moderates this relationship [
53]. They created a questionnaire based on previous research and found that the influence of affective city brand image on emotional attachment is stronger for residents than visitors.
Furthermore, Ahn et al. [
54] examined city residents’ perceptions of city brands and their influence on their citizenship behavior, focusing on the case of Busan, Republic of Korea. They had a sample of 501 respondents and built their questionnaire based on previous studies.
1.3. Research Purpose and Innovation
Based on the studies we consulted, we argue that there is limited research on city branding in the emerging tourism market of Central and Eastern Europe. Notably, previous studies have focused extensively on the antecedents of place attachment and its downstream effects on outcomes like place satisfaction and place loyalty. However, the relationship between place branding and place attachment remains underexplored in the existing literature. This paper aims to contribute to filling this gap in the research landscape. It determines how residents perceive the city brand by analyzing elements such as place attachment, quality of life, and local infrastructure.
Given the national trends and the growing academic interest in sustainable tourism, particularly in the central regions of Romania, it becomes relevant to explore how such dynamics are perceived and internalized at the local level. While several Romanian cities have integrated sustainability and branding into their urban development agendas, there is still limited empirical research investigating how residents relate to these transformations. In this context, the city of Rasnov emerges as an appropriate case study for examining the interaction between urban branding, quality of life, and community engagement. The following research addresses this gap by focusing on residents’ perceptions of the city brand and their emotional, functional, and cognitive associations with the urban environment.
The present research aims to identify the factors that influence the perception of the city brand. The objectives involve describing how the residents of Rasnov represent their city and assessing their degree of satisfaction with the different components of the urban brand. We will adopt three research directions: local identity and level of attachment, quality of life and infrastructure (as part of the city brand architecture), and the link between the city brand and tourism. Starting from these general goals, the present work proposes a series of specific objectives that clarify our scientific approach:
O1. Identifying the residents’ perceptions of the identity and values of the city of Rasnov.
O2. An assessment of satisfaction with urban infrastructure and quality of life.
O3. An analysis of the level of knowledge of the city’s promotion strategy.
O4. Determining the elements considered essential for the urban brand.
Regarding the research questions, we wanted to know whether the residents of Rasnov develop a strong emotional attachment to the local community. Various scientific research has shown that residents’ connection to their cultural heritage reinforces the city’s unique identity by generating a sense of pride and attachment [
55].
The quality of life in the city significantly influences residents’ perception of the city’s brand. Higher satisfaction correlates with a more favorable city image [
33]. Thus, one of our research questions aimed to identify the main elements of residents’ satisfaction/dissatisfaction regarding quality of life and infrastructure.
Furthermore, we were interested in the level of awareness of respondents regarding the city’s promotion strategy. In addition, we aimed to identify the most relevant local resources for the image of Rasnov. Some studies affirm that effective branding strategies highlighting local attractions can encourage tourism and strengthen the city’s brand [
56]. Moreover, there is a complex interplay between internal and external factors regarding city branding efforts. Internal factors mean the satisfaction and engagement of crucial residents, and external factors mean external perceptions, such as those of tourists, can significantly influence the overall image of the city brand.
The selection of Rasnov as a case study was based on its distinctive urban profile, combining a strong historical identity with a growing emphasis on tourism development. As a mid-sized city (approximately 22 thousand residents) in central Romania, Rasnov represents a compelling example of a locality navigating the intersection between community life and external branding efforts. The city holds cultural and architectural heritage assets—such as the Rasnov Fortress, mountain landscapes, and local traditions—that have been increasingly promoted to attract visitors. However, it also retains a stable residential population that plays a crucial role in shaping the lived experience of the city. This dual character makes Rasnov particularly suitable for exploring the relationship between local identity, urban satisfaction, and branding awareness. Moreover, the city’s active digital civic space—reflected in the high engagement in Facebook community groups—facilitated access to a wide demographic, enabling the research to capture diverse perspectives from the population’s economically active and culturally invested segments. From a methodological perspective, Rasnov offers both accessibility and analytical relevance, serving as a model for other small or medium-sized cities in Eastern Europe that seek to develop sustainable tourism and inclusive branding strategies while maintaining the quality of urban life.