Place branding for sustainable mountain destinations: A scoping review

Abstract

Place branding is a communication and governance strategy for building and managing positive reputations of places. Mountain destinations are vulnerable to human impact and climate change, raising the need for their protection. This study examines the intersection of mountain destinations and sustainable development through a scoping review of articles published between 2013 and 2023 in Scopus and Web of Science. The results show that scientific production is concentrated in Europe. Mountain destinations are mainly conceptualised through physical attributes and sports-related activities, while sustainability is focused on environmental concerns. Strategies related to place branding highlight its potential to drive sustainable development in mountain destinations, emphasising the need for further investigation on these regions, which have traditionally been overshadowed by urban areas. This review makes a significant contribution by providing one of the first studies to explore the intersection of mountain destinations and sustainable development.