ABSTRACT
Brands are traditionally defined as products or services 'made distinctive by their positioning relative to the competition and by their personality, which comprises a unique combination of functional attributes and symbolic values'. From a place branding perspective, tourism and culture and heritage, next to people, export brands, governance, and investment and immigration, make up two of the six place brand dimensions. Brand assets in corporate branding usually refer to brand elements and their potential financial value. In an attempt to investigate the impact of branding efforts using a bottom-up approach, studies on the consumer perspective still largely focus upon awareness, associations or image, quality and loyalty. In tourism research, the causal relationship between associations and perceived quality has been confirmed in several works focusing on tourism destinations. In order to assess the dimensions of assets, awareness, associations, quality and loyalty, the investigation of a cultural destination seems appropriate.
