Erbil Citadel as a Brand for the City, the Role of Residents Awareness and Perceptions

Haval Sami Ali () and Mahmood Khayat
Additional contact information
Haval Sami Ali: Architectural Department, Engineering College, Salahaddin University, Erbil 44001, Iraq
Mahmood Khayat: Architectural Engineering and Sustainability Program, School of Science and Engineering, University of Kurdistan-Hawler, Erbil 44001, Iraq

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 19, 1-22

Abstract: The branding of cities through their historical and cultural assets has become a pivotal strategy in urban development and tourism. This study focuses on Erbil Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its potential as a brand for Erbil, a city with a rich historical backdrop and flourishing urban landscape. The study aimed to explore the perceptions of Erbil’s residents regarding the cultural significance of the Citadel and its potential as a city brand. A mixed-method survey questionnaire was conducted, collecting data from around 440 residents through both manual distribution around the Citadel and an online platform. The findings were analyzed using SPSS 23 to provide both descriptive and inferential statistical insights. The findings show that locals are well aware of the Citadel’s significance as a significant historical and cultural symbol of the city. The vast majority of participants acknowledged its unique visual attributes and their representation of the city’s cultural and historical identity. Additionally, the results showed that citizens’ perceptions of the Citadel as a good component of city branding were positively correlated with their level of cultural awareness. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on city branding and heritage sites by providing empirical evidence on the impact of residents’ cultural awareness on their perceptions of heritage sites as city brands. The results highlight how crucial cultural education and community involvement are to maximizing the branding potential of historic locations. Policymakers and urban planners may find the findings of the study useful in utilizing Erbil Citadel’s historical relevance to strengthen Erbil’s brand identity internationally.

Keywords: city branding; heritage sites; Erbil Citadel; resident perceptions; cultural awareness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/19/8529/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/19/8529/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:19:p:8529-:d:1489981

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().