What actions are required to re-position the Gold Coast as a diversified business destination in national and international markets?

This research project examines how Gold Coast City, Australia, may employ actions and strategies in developing a whole of city approach to effective global positioning and brand recognition. Specifically, it proposes a framework for city brand management that local government (in this case Gold Coast City Council) can implement to effectively reposition the city in global markets.

This is in the context of moving the Gold Coast from a traditional tourism focused destination and a city with multiple brand and marketing messages, to a diversified and vibrant global business centre with a strong and clear set of brand values.

As part of this research process, a case study of seven cities from around the world was undertaken to identify what lessons, if any, could be learnt and applied from these destinations to a Gold Coast City context. The research also completed a wide ranging consultation process with Gold Coast business and community stakeholders to identify what issues and opportunities that local leaders believe the Gold Coast faces in its efforts to reposition the destination in national and international markets.

The conclusion from this research is that city government and the local business community play an important collaborative role in providing the economic fundamentals necessary to underpin any city marketing and branding efforts. City officials alone cannot build brand value without buy in from the wider local community. Further sound economic fundamentals need to exist in a city before the implementation of branding and promotional efforts can become effective.

The research also identified that effective and ongoing management of a 'city brand' requires a long term commitment (financial and in kind resources) by a lead organisation that can embed city brand values into the hearts and minds of not only its residents but to the broader global community. These long term commitments may be out of step with the short term imperatives of elected representatives, however economic development and brand development activities are not by their very nature short term fixes.

In a global world where cities actively compete against each other to attract private sector investment, company relocation, tourism dollars and indeed new residents, the need for a long term commitment to economic development activity as part of the city's overall brand and positioning program would appear to be an important factor in how the Gold Coast can successfully re-position itself.