Branding Istanbul: Representations of religion in promoting tourism

There has been an increasing trend in recent years for cities to build their own brands in order to attract investments, international companies and tourists. It is believed that such branding is effective in terms of gaining competitive advantage over other cities. City brands characteristically draw on local characteristics and seek to emphasize uniqueness. Istanbul, a rapidly developing financial centre and a popular tourist destination, is no exception. The city was one of the European Capitals of Culture in 2010, which prompted the tourism authorities to create a new Istanbul brand. This article analyses the components of this new brand, as evidenced in various tourism materials. The findings show how tourism marketers have used religion as a major theme in the branding process. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.