Professor Mihalis Kavaratzis

Professor Mihalis Kavaratzis

Professor of Place Marketing

Researcher, Trainer and Adviser on Place Marketing and Place Branding

My profile

Biography

I joined MMU in February 2022 as a Professor of Place Marketing.

I come from Athens, Greece, where I studied Business Administration and worked for a few years as a marketer. I hold an MSc in Marketing from the University of Stirling, Scotland and a PhD on City Marketing from the University of Groningen, Netherlands. I have spent several years in Budapest, Hungary, where I taught marketing and tourism related courses. Before joining MMU I was Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Leicester, UK.

I am part of the Institute of Place Management team at MMU, and I have co-founded the International Place Branding Association where I also curate the ‘IPBA Art Gallery’.

I serve on the Editorial Board of several journals and have external examiner responsibilities at the University of Nottingham as well as at Bournemouth University.

I also act as adviser for local authorities on the development of place branding strategies and deliver training workshops and public speeches on place marketing, place branding and tourism destination marketing.

Interests and expertise

My research revolves around the theory and practice of place marketing, place branding and tourism destination marketing. This is a combination of two things I find fascinating: tourism and brand meaning. I am especially interested in place brand formation, the meaning and experience of places and participatory approaches to place and destination branding.

I have published many highly-cited articles on these topics in journals such as Tourism Management, Journal of Travel Research, Marketing Theory, Environment and Planning A, International Journal of Tourism Research, Journal of Place Management and Development, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Cities.

I have co-edited ‘Inclusive Place Branding’ (with M. Giovanardi and M. Lichrou, 2017), ‘Rethinking Place Branding’ (with G. Warnaby and G.J. Ashworth, 2015) and ‘Towards Effective Place Brand Management’ (with G.J. Ashworth, 2010).

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Institute of Place Management (Senior Fellow)

International Place Branding Association (Founding Board Member)

Higher Education Academy (Associate Fellow)

Center for Excellence in Food, Tourism and Leisure, American College Greece (Scientific Board Member)

Chair for Place Attractiveness and Marketing, University of Marseille, France (Scientific Board Member)

Get in touch

0161 247 2627
6.08 Business School

Impact

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Google Scholar ranks me as the world’s most influential author in the field of place marketing and the second most influential in place branding (more than 12,000 citations in May 2022).

In 2015, I was honoured with Senior Fellowship of the Institute of Place Management.

In 2020, the journal TESG dedicated a Discussion Forum to my 2004 co-authored (with Greg Ashworth) article ‘City branding: An effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick?’, which is the most-cited article in the history of the journal.  

I have delivered more than 30 keynote and invited speeches at academic and practitioners’ conferences.

I have been awarded Emerald Citations of Excellence Awards for two of my articles (Kavaratzis and Hatch, 2013; Braun, Kavaratzis and Zenker, 2013) and Literati Network Outstanding Paper Awards for three articles (Kislali, Kavaratzis and Saren, 2015; Braun, Kavaratzis and Zenker, 2013; Kavaratzis 2012).

Projects

I am currently working on various research projects relating to the co-creation of place brands, the participation of residents in place branding strategies, conceptualising Resident-based Place Brand Equity, arts-based research in tourism as well the links between place branding and sustainability. 

Teaching

I am Unit Leader for the L7 units ‘Branding International Destinations’ and ‘Marketing in Practice’.

I also supervise UG/PG dissertations and PhD projects.

Supervision

I have supervised to successful completion eight PhD students and I have acted as External Examiner for 15 PhD theses in various countries. 

I am very interested in supervising PhD projects that use qualitative methodologies to investigate the following topics:

  • Place and city branding
  • Place and city marketing
  • Destination marketing and branding
  • Place identities and images
  • The experience of place
  • Participatory approaches to branding
  • Storytelling in branding
  • Arts-based research in tourism

Research outputs

  • Books (authored/edited/special issues)

    Kavaratzis, M. (2019) Afterword: riding the Nordic wave in place branding – or does the Nordic exist and will it travel?.

    Kavaratzis, M., Warnaby, G., Ashworth, G.J. (2015) Rethinking place branding: Comprehensive brand development for cities and regions.

    Kavaratzis, M., Warnaby, G., Ashworth, G.J. (2015) Preface.

    Ashworth, G., Kavaratzis, M. (2010) Towards effective place brand management: Branding European cities and regions.

    Ashworth, G., Kavaratzis, M. (2010) Towards effective place brand management: Branding European cities and regions.

  • Chapters in books

    Zhang, B., Kavaratzis, M. (2023) 'Branding Chongqing How does the city government manage Chinese city branding?.' Place Branding and Marketing from a Policy Perspective Building Eff ective Strategies for Places. pp. 227-240.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2022) 'When History Inspires Brand Strategy.' The Routledge Companion to Corporate Branding. Routledge, pp. 395-407.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2022) 'WHEN HISTORY INSPIRES BRAND STRATEGY Lessons for place brands and corporate brands.' The Routledge Companion to Corporate Branding. pp. 395-407.

    Warnaby, G., Kavaratzis, M. (2021) ''The artist in you': thinking differently about place branding research.' A Research Agenda for Place Branding. Edward Elgar,

    Kavaratzis, M., Florek, M. (2021) 'Place brands: Why, who, what, when, where, and how?.' Marketing Countries, Places, and Place-associated Brands:Identity and Image. pp. 26-39.

    Giovanardi, M., Kavaratzis, M., Lichrou, M. (2018) 'Critical perspectives on place marketing.' The Routledge Companion to Critical Marketing. pp. 115-134.

    Ashworth, G.J., Kavaratzis, M. (2017) 'The roles of branding in public administration and place management: Possibilities and pitfalls.' The Palgrave Handbook of Public Administration and Management in Europe. pp. 425-439.

    Warnaby, G.C., Ashworth, G., Kavaratzis, M. (2016) 'Sketching Futures for Place Branding.' Rethinking Place Branding Comprehensive Brand Development for Cities and Regions. Springer,

    Warnaby, G.C., Kavaratzis, M., Ashworth, G. (2016) 'The Need to Rethink Place Branding.' Rethinking Place Branding Comprehensive Brand Development for Cities and Regions. Springer, pp. 1-11.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2016) 'The participatory place branding process for tourism: Linking visitors and residents through the city brand.' Tourism in the City: Towards an Integrative Agenda on Urban Tourism. pp. 93-107.

    Ashworth, G.J., Kavaratzis, M. (2015) 'Rethinking the roles of culture in place branding.' Rethinking Place Branding: Comprehensive Brand Development for Cities and Regions. pp. 119-134.

    Kavaratzis, M., Ashworth, G. (2010) 'Place branding: Where do we stand?.' Towards Effective Place Brand Management: Branding European Cities and Regions. pp. 1-14.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2010) 'Is corporate branding relevant to places?.' Towards Effective Place Brand Management: Branding European Cities and Regions. pp. 36-48.

    Ashworth, G., Kavaratzis, M. (2010) 'Conclusion: In search of effective place brand management.' Towards Effective Place Brand Management: Branding European Cities and Regions. pp. 234-239.

  • Journal articles

    Stoica, I.S., Kavaratzis, M., Schwabenland, C., Haag, M. (2022) 'Place Brand Co-Creation through Storytelling: Benefits, Risks and Preconditions.' Tourism and Hospitality, 3(1) pp. 15-30.

    Kladou, S., Rigopoulou, I., Kavaratzis, M., Salonika, E. (2021) 'A memorable tourism experience and its effect on country image.' Anatolia: an international journal of tourism and hospitality research, 33(3) pp. 439-450.

    Kavaratzis, M., Florek, M. (2021) 'Special Section: The future of place branding.' Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 17pp. 63-64.

    Kavaratzis, M., Hatch, M.J. (2021) 'The Elusive Destination Brand and the ATLAS Wheel of Place Brand Management.' Journal of Travel Research, 60(1) pp. 3-15.

    Jamalian, M., Kavaratzis, M., Saren, M. (2020) 'A happy experience of a dark place: Consuming and performing the Jallianwala Bagh.' Tourism Management, 81

    Eugenio-Vela, J.D.S., Ginesta, X., Kavaratzis, M. (2020) 'The critical role of stakeholder engagement in a place branding strategy: a case study of the Empordà brand.' European Planning Studies, 28(7) pp. 1393-1412.

    Kislali, H., Kavaratzis, M., Saren, M. (2020) 'Destination image formation: Towards a holistic approach.' International Journal of Tourism Research, 22(2) pp. 266-276.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2020) 'Is ‘City Branding’ Worth Re-Visiting?.' Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 111(1) pp. 24-27.

    Vinyals-Mirabent, S., Kavaratzis, M., Fernández-Cavia, J. (2019) 'The role of functional associations in building destination brand personality: When official websites do the talking.' Tourism Management, 75pp. 148-155.

    Pedeliento, G., Kavaratzis, M. (2019) 'Bridging the gap between culture, identity and image: a structurationist conceptualization of place brands and place branding.' Journal of Product and Brand Management, 28(3) pp. 348-363.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2019) 'Handbook on Place Branding and Marketing.' TOURISM ANALYSIS, 24(2) pp. 257-258.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2018) 'Place branding: Are we any wiser?.' Cities, 80pp. 61-63.

    Kavaratzis, M., Dennis, C. (2018) 'Place branding gathering momentum.' Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 14(2) pp. 75-77.

    Fernández-Cavia, J., Kavaratzis, M., Morgan, N. (2018) 'Introduction: Place branding: A communication perspective.' Communication and Society, 31(4) pp. 1-7.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2018) 'Conference report, 2nd consumer research summit – place and identity: advancing theory and practice.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 11(1) pp. 145-146.

    Ntounis, N., Kavaratzis, M. (2017) 'Re-branding the High Street: The place branding process and reflections from three UK towns.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 10(4) pp. 392-403.

    Kladou, S., Kavaratzis, M., Rigopoulou, I., Salonika, E. (2017) 'The role of brand elements in destination branding.' Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 6(4) pp. 426-435.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2016) 'In Memoriam: Professor Gregory Ashworth Obituary.' PLACE BRANDING AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, 12(4) pp. 247-248.

    Kislali, H., Kavaratzis, M., Saren, M. (2016) 'Rethinking destination image formation.' International Journal of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research, 10(1) pp. 70-80.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2015) 'Place branding scholars and practitioners: “strangers in the night”?.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 8(3) pp. 266-270.

    Kavaratzis, M., Ashworth, G. (2015) 'Hijacking culture: The disconnection between place culture and place brands.' Town Planning Review, 86(2) pp. 155-176.

    Kavaratzis, M., Kalandides, A. (2015) 'Rethinking the place brand: the interactive formation of place brands and the role of participatory place branding.' Environment and Planning A, 47(6) pp. 1368-1382.

    Florek, M., Kavaratzis, M. (2014) 'From brand equity to place brand equity and from there to the place brand.' Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 10(2) pp. 103-107.

    Kavaratzis, M., Hatch, M.J. (2013) 'The dynamics of place brands: An identity-based approach to place branding theory.' Marketing Theory, 13(1) pp. 69-86.

    Braun, E., Kavaratzis, M., Zenker, S. (2013) 'My city - my brand: The different roles of residents in place branding.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 6(1) pp. 18-28.

    Kalandides, A., Kavaratzis, M., Boisen, M. (2012) 'Special Edition of the Place Branding Conference: “Roots-Politics-Methods”.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 5(1) pp. 5-10.

    Kalandides, A., Kavaratzis, M., Boisen, M., Kavaratzis, M. (2012) 'From “necessary evil” to necessity: Stakeholders' involvement in place branding.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 5(1) pp. 7-19.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2012) 'Brands and Branding Geographies.' REGIONAL STUDIES, 46(9) pp. 1273-1274.

    Kalandides, A., Kavaratzis, M. (2011) 'Guest editorial.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 4(1) pp. 27-34.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2009) 'What can we learn from city marketing practice?.' European Spatial Research and Policy, 16(1) pp. 41-58.

    Ashworth, G., Kavaratzis, M. (2009) 'Beyond the logo: Brand management for cities.' Journal of Brand Management, 16(8) pp. 520-531.

    Kalandides, A., Kavaratzis, M. (2009) 'From place marketing to place branding – and back: A need for re-evaluation.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 2(1) pp. 237-240.

    Kavaratzis, M. (2009) 'Cities and their brands: Lessons from corporate branding.' Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 5(1) pp. 26-37.

    Kavaratzis, M., Ashworth, G. (2008) 'Place marketing: How did we get here and where are we going?.' Journal of Place Management and Development, 1(2) pp. 150-165.

    Kavaratzis, M., Ashworth, G.J. (2007) 'Partners in coffeeshops, canals and commerce: Marketing the city of Amsterdam.' Cities, 24(1) pp. 16-25.

    Kavaratzis, M., Ashworth, G.J. (2005) 'City branding: An effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick?.' Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 96(5) pp. 506-514.

    Fernández-Cavia, J., Kavaratzis, M., Morgan, N. (1970) 'Place branding: A communication perspective.' Communication & Society, pp. 1-6.