City re-imagined: Multi-stakeholder study on branding Hong Kong as a city of greenery

Abstract

This study explores the potential to enhance a city's international position and social development through mainstreaming urban greenery in its city branding exercise. The variety of services by urban greenery are theorised to be compatible with the economic and social purposes of city branding. Despite enjoying exceptional green cityscape with the presence of country parks and other green resources, the comparative strength is under-valued under Hong Kong's current brand. This Hong Kong-based study looks into the crucial linkages between city branding and urban greening by factoring in the perception of local residents, overseas investors/workers and tourists. The results from the questionnaire survey (n = 240) reveal that people generally favour incorporating more green elements into the brand, largely due to the positive relationship between urban greenery provision and quality of living. Together with the supplementary focus groups (n = 10) and email interviews, the findings throw light on the significance of these green resources in both projecting a liveable city image and enhancing the living quality for sustainable city development and management, as well as how adopting such brand can facilitate urban greening. The results offer new insights of city governance by highlighting the idea of branding a city green and the challenges in implementation.