Using Cultural Elements for a Successful City Branding: The Case Study of Hydra Island

The current global socio-economic environment has modified the way modern cities operate and interact with citizens and visitors. In such an environment, developing and constantly reshaping the city's branding is crucial, in order to meet the former' needs and to attract the latter. Fulfilling both these conditions require a mix of quantitative and qualitative goals to be achieved, while changes occur in global tourism trends, leading cities to an ongoing effort of connecting their branding with specific cultural aspects or experiences a visitor can live. Current research studies aim to expand our understanding on how city branding is shaped. It investigates how a desired city branding can be cultivated or gradually developed in a structured and planned. "Culture" and "cultural branding" are studied, taking into consideration that it can incorporate both a city's historical background as well as its present character and ongoing evolvement. Moreover, cultural identity can convert a single visit into a life experience by deepen emotions and expanding the bond between visitor-city destination. The study will reveal the importance of "culture" when city branding is developed, taking into consideration both city's viability and touristic promotion. Literature review on city's branding and cultural branding is conducted, while Hydra is used as a "destination" case study. Hydra has a long and rich cultural history, while it was one of the first Greek islands having mass tourism. Following Hydra's modern culture, a new " city branding" will be proposed targeting on promoting the island to the global, touristic environment but moreover to the development of a unique "identity" capable to differentiate the island in the Mediterranean era.