Preipheral Urban Spaces Development

Preipheral Urban Spaces Development

Tourism Branding Strategies Based on Identifying Drivers (A Case Study: urban Peripheral Villages of Zanjan)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Hasan Abdolahi 1
Ali Shahnavaz 2
Bahman Javan 3
1 Department of Industrial Engineering, Zanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan, Iran.
2 Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Zanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan, Iran.
3 Department of Management, Zanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan, Iran.
10.22034/jpusd.2026.579199.1396
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Tourism, as one of the most significant service industries globally, plays a decisive role in the economic, social, and cultural development of communities. Among these, the peri-urban villages of Zanjan, due to their prime location adjacent to Zanjan city, possess unique capacities for attracting tourists. Possessing natural attractions, authentic historical and cultural contexts, indigenous customs, handicrafts, and local products, these villages can serve as appealing destinations for urban tourists and even international visitors. However, despite these potentials, many of these villages face challenges such as insufficient recognition of their own capacities, lack of coherent planning for tourism development, weaknesses in promotion and marketing, and the absence of a distinct and identifiable identity in the minds of tourists. These issues have prevented these areas from optimally leveraging existing opportunities for tourism development and capitalizing on its economic, social, and cultural benefits. Under such circumstances, tourism branding emerges as a key strategy for creating differentiation, shaping a favorable mental image, and attracting tourists to destinations. Successful branding can enhance recognition and awareness of a tourism destination by establishing a unique and distinct identity, thereby also strengthening tourist loyalty. Nevertheless, formulating tourism branding strategies necessitates a deep and systematic understanding of the drivers influencing this process. These drivers encompass a set of causal, contextual, and intervening components, the identification and analysis of which are essential for designing effective branding strategies. In this regard, the present research seeks to develop appropriate strategies for tourism branding in these villages by identifying these factors, thereby taking an effective step towards the sustainable development of tourism in peri-urban areas.
 
Methodology
This research, with an applied objective, is dedicated to analyzing and modeling the factors influencing tourism branding in the peri-urban villages of Zanjan. Methodologically, the study is founded on a mixed-methods approach (qualitative-quantitative) to provide a comprehensive picture of the theoretical and practical dimensions of the subject. This mixed-methods approach was realized through a two-stage process; the qualitative stage aimed at accurately identifying and extracting key factors through interviews with experts, and the results of this stage formed the basis for designing the questionnaire for the quantitative stage (surveying the local community). In the qualitative stage, the primary tool used was in-depth interviews, and the resulting data were analyzed using the Grounded Theory method to shape the research’s conceptual framework. Subsequently, in the quantitative stage, a questionnaire designed based on the identified factors was employed to measure the extent and strength of each factor’s influence on branding. The statistical software SPSS was utilized for processing and analyzing the data collected from these questionnaires.
The statistical population of this research is defined in two distinct parts. The first part consisted of 15 experts from key fields (tourism, management, and rural planning) who were selected through purposive sampling and participated in the qualitative identification phase. The second part included 131 members of the local community, comprising direct and indirect tourism actors, who were selected via convenience sampling and served as the final respondents in the quantitative phase. This distinction in sampling allows for the validation of results at both the theoretical (experts) and practical (field actors) levels.
 
Results and discussion
Findings from the Grounded Theory indicate that ‘current economic inefficiency’ and ‘perceived erosion of identity and authenticity’ are identified as causal drivers. ‘Distinct characteristics of resources and attractions’ and ‘geographic location and urban accessibility’ fall under contextual drivers. Furthermore, ‘institutional and local capacity,’ ‘media influence and dominant narratives,’ and ‘modern support infrastructure’ are recognized as intervening drivers. Additionally, the results of the one-sample t-test reveal that all eight investigated factors have a significant impact on the tourism branding process in the peri-urban villages of Zanjan from the perspective of the local community. The significance level of 0.000 for all factors confirms the field and perceptual validity of the research’s conceptual model. Based on these results, effective strategies for tourism branding include ‘active brand governance,’ ‘producing goods and content based on authenticity,’ ‘digital travel engineering and tourist attraction,’ ‘strengthening economic resilience based on comparative advantage,’ and ‘identifying local advantages.’ Adopting these strategies can lead to outcomes such as ‘brand stability and coherence,’ ‘increased perceived value,’ ‘differentiation and targeted accessibility,’ ‘digital credibility,’ ‘long-term sustainability,’ and ‘strengthening local community commitment.
 
Conclusion
The current situation of Zanjan’s peri-urban villages is the result of pressure from two main factors: economic inefficiency and the erosion of local identity. These factors highlight the necessity of changing the management approach and utilizing tourism branding as a response to socio-economic crises. Amidst this, contextual assets such as distinct cultural resources, authentic architecture, and a unique social structure possess the greatest potential for creating authentic tourism products. However, a severe weakness in institutional and local capacity presents the main obstacle to implementing effective brand governance, and management and training structures must be strengthened before any promotional activities commence. On the other hand, the existence of modern infrastructure provides an excellent opportunity to move towards ‘digital travel engineering,’ thereby enhancing the destination’s accessibility, online booking, and reputation. Ultimately, brand success will be sustainable only when the economic resilience of the community and the equitable distribution of tourism benefits are guaranteed. The harmonization of four key components—asset authenticity, active governance, digital infrastructure, and economic resilience—is the sole path to overcoming the gap between the high potential and limited implementation capacity of Zanjan’s peri-urban villages.
 
Funding
According to the responsible author, this article has no financial support
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
 We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.
Keywords
Tourism Branding
urban peripheral Villages
Zanjan
Subjects
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Preipheral Urban Spaces Development
Volume 8, Issue 1 - Serial Number 19
Spring
Spring 2026
Pages 171-194