Like many rural areas in Europe, Idanha-a-Nova faced a dramatic demographic decline. But by investing in a strategic place brand vision, the region has turned around negative perceptions and charted a path to economic revitalisation. Here's how.

Events can deliver transformational long-term benefits for places. Here are five places that are re-thinking the ways that they approach events to ensure that they’re prioritizing a long-term, sustainable future for their communities.

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. 

How are places actively working to engage their local communities in creating a vibrant and thriving future for their place? From Jamaica to New Zealand, here are nine insights to help you connect with your community.

The demand for happiness is higher than ever – and Visit Finland are ready to help people rediscover their joy. Discover how the team launched ‘The Masterclass of Happiness’ to help share the Finnish mindset with the world.

Fiji regularly tops the survey for the happiest country in the world. The new positioning highlights Fiji as more than a postcard destination, instead showcasing a genuine perspective on happiness.

Learn about Fiji's Award entry for Best Communication Strategy: Tourism

For the first time in 64 years, Wales reached the FIFA World Cup finals, and the team took advantage of the momentum with an authentic, people-led campaign to introduce Wales to the world.

Learn about Wales' Award entry for Best Communication Strategy: Place Brand

With Christmas around the corner, the Go Vilnius team used the festive season as an opportunity to raise awareness of the city - using a carol with lyrics inspired by wrong answers about Vilnius's location. 

A series of public input sessions called Future Festivals gave residents the chance to play larger-than-life games to gather feedback that would inform the development of the city’s two-year workplan.

Learn about the City of Williamsburg's Award entry for Best Citizen Engagement

Learn about Great Britain's Award entry for Best Place Brand Communications Strategy