The grande dame hotels weren't simply places to sleep - they were cultural institutions that defined the reputations of the cities they called home. But how are these iconic hotels evolving? And what does that mean for destination marketers?

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Ottawa was ready for a cultural refuel. Enter the Unofficial Museums campaign, an initiative to celebrate the hidden gems within the city. In total, 76 ‘museums’ were opened in a single day as special status was granted to festivals, restaurants, concert venues, attractions, and more. A new dessert shop, First Bite, became the Unofficial Museum of Croffle (croissant + waffle)! Learn more here. Learn about Ottawa's Award entry for Best Placemaking Initiative 

It takes a village to deliver a great place brand strategy. Here are eleven expert tips to help you work with your local businesses to create win-win partnerships that help your communities thrive.

What can you do to cut through the noise and show your private sector partners the value in your work? Place leaders share what they’ve found to be effective tools in engaging their private sector in their place brand and marketing vision.

Louisa Shaw, Head of Place Marketing at We Are Staffordshire, shares what has driven the region's success, how they’re engaging the private sector as ambassadors, and what she’ll be looking for in a winning entry at the CNP Awards.

Here are five ideas to help you identify new and unexpected avenues of collaboration to drive your city branding or nation branding strategy.

For years, Boston has had a reputation as America’s ‘most racist city’. However, renewed efforts from both city government and place marketing organisations are challenging those perceptions, and laying the foundations for a more inclusive Boston.

Cities and towns using art and technology to transform their public spaces into places of convergence and human connection. Creos' Alexandre Lemieux explores how the adoption of art in urban planning is a strategic move towards creating immersive experiences that foster community engagement and stimulate local economies.

The Brixton X Harlem festival reached across continents to celebrate shared stories and weave together the rich tapestries of two iconic neighbourhoods that are deeply rooted in the African and Caribbean diaspora. We sat down with Gianluca Rizzo, Managing Director, and Jessica Dyer, Cultural Manager at Brixton BID, to understand how they put community at the heart of this placemaking initiative and what it took to make the twinning partnership successful.

The Dutch city of Leiden is steeped in history – and is home to the country’s oldest university, founded in 1574. Fast forward some five hundred years, the city is leaning into its long heritage of scientific innovation to create an impactful place brand strategy that is engaging residents, businesses, and government alike in celebrating their proud history.

At the 2023 City Nation Place Awards, Glasgow became the first city to take home the trophy for Best Use of Data, in recognition of the comprehensive and innovative work undertaken to map out the city’s tech ecosystem and create a foundation for data-driven storytelling around the sector. We sat down with Glasgow City Council's Gavin Smyth to understand precisely what it is that led to this data-driven triumph.

At City Nation Place UK 2023, it was wonderful to hear how many places are finding new ways to work with their stakeholders, their citizens, and their neighbouring cities and regions. Discover how UK cities, regions, and nations are re-inventing their strategies as we explore the key takeaways from this year's conference.

In June 2023, Brussels launched their new international city brand to address the fragmentation of their international reputation. visit.brussels' Annemie Verschueren explains how they developed and launched a place brand that shows Brussels as perfectly imperfect and how they’re working with residents and stakeholders to tell the story of Brussels with one voice.