Attributes of the Blumenau (Brazil) brand from the residents’ perspective, and its influence on the decision to stay in the destination

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the attributes of Blumenau city brand, from the residents’ perspective and its relation to their intention to remain living there.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study using survey data collected from a sample of 417 subjects, stratified by neighborhood, income class, gender and age. The theoretical and methodological framework is the scale developed by Merrilees et al. (2009) and the FOCUS (2014) report about the self-image of the residents of Blumenau.

Findings

There is a positive relationship between the assessment of the attributes of the municipality and the residents’ attitude toward Blumenau brand. The study also verified a positive relationship between Blumenau brand assessment and the residents’ intention regarding their own future. In fact, the relative satisfaction of the respondents with the attributes of the city, as well as the positive socio-economic indicators, influenced the intention to stay in the municipality.

Originality/value

This work presents a methodological combination of the evaluation of city branding and the intention to remain living in a certain place. The study adds important information on the role of the residents on the process of city brand building, showing that besides the transient assessment, the intentions to remain in a place should be considered, given that such intent is linked to the image that residents have of the city.

Citation

Zucco, F.D., Reis, C., Anjos, S.J.G.d., Effting, S.J. and Pereira, M.d.L. (2017), "Attributes of the Blumenau (Brazil) brand from the residents’ perspective, and its influence on the decision to stay in the destination", International Journal of Tourism Cities, Vol. 3 No. 1, pp. 43-55. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-10-2016-0044