Industrial Heritage Regeneration Through Place Branding: Strategic Perspectives from Yazd, Iran

In the early 1990s, the decline of textile manufacturing due to various factors resulted in the abandonment of industrial sites previously utilized in Yazd. This study examines the regeneration of industrial heritage through place branding in a developing country, utilizing a case study approach. The objective is to design a framework for the development of a branding strategy aimed at the regeneration of industrial heritage sites in Yazd. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, this study utilizes SWOT analysis through focus group discussions in conjunction with the Delphi method. Furthermore, in the strategy development process, the expert panel technique is employed to formulate Weihrich’s TOWS matrix. The findings indicate that the risk of textile heritage sites remaining unknown to tourists, as well as the potential for enhancing the identity of Yazd, received the highest mean scores. In contrast, the results indicate that the lowest mean scores were associated with the factors of multiple non-official brands in Yazd and the presence of basic tourist infrastructure. This study presents a comprehensive framework for the integration of place branding into industrial heritage regeneration initiatives, grounded in original empirical data, and offers valuable insights for policymakers, heritage managers, and urban planners.