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Cities are turning to brand consultants to improve their image — does it work?

Jennifer Guay

August 15, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Russia, Tatarstan

Building a brand for your city or country can attract tourists, boost investment and lure skilled workers. Done right, it can also encourage community unity by highlighting a common story of identity, says Natasha Grand of the Institute for Identity.

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Reviving Italy's ‘Ghost Towns'

Nicola Kelly Harriet Noble

August 14, 2018 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Italy, Santo Stefano di Sessanio

To bring more people to almost-deserted Italian towns, town leaders are attempting to grow the “albergo diffuso” model, which roughly translates to “scattered homes.” Many Italian towns have land as well as the desire to bring in people, so locals have banded together to create hotels comprised of several deserted homes put together. It’s working. Locals are coming back and bringing traditional crafts and cooking with them. Tourists are coming in numbers high enough to sustain a new tourist economy.

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In Amsterdam, Even The Tourists Say There Are Too Many Tourists

Joanna Kakissis

August 07, 2018 |

NPR |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Netherlands, Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, a unique set of problems has a unique set of solutions. Overcrowding by rowdy tourists is threatening a normal, peaceful lifestyle for native residents. The city’s solution is twofold: first, government restrictions are being placed to minimize Airbnb rentals and tourist shops. Second, a new “night mayor” position helps regulate nightlife and steer it to areas outside of the city center. The goal is to for tourism to continue benefiting the local economy without driving away locals.

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An indigenous village navigates its ecotourism success

Sarah Hucal

August 06, 2018 |

Mongabay |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Indonesia, Wae Rebo

The village of Wae Rebo on a remote island in Indonesia was facing the growing issue of generating viable revenue from only their agriculture production. Seizing the opportunity to revitalize the town through a partnership with Indonesian ecotourism NGO Indecon, at least 50 tourists per day now visit the village, bringing in a new source of income for locals.

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Minnesota's rural towns are fighting brain drain by rebranding

Anoush Darabi

August 03, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Madison, Minnesota

Minnesota officials are capitalizing on a population trend: despite negative population growth in rural areas among people in their twenties, people in their thirties and forties continue to move to rural places. Get Rural is a campaign to share information and opportunities to encourage families to make Minnesota their home, not just a tourist destination. By using marketing tactics and bringing different local groups to work together, the campaign hopes to see population changes in the future.

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In Mozambique, a Living Laboratory for Nature's Renewal

Natalie Angier

July 23, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Mozambique

A great experiment is taking place at Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique after the area was brutally devastated by civil war. On the back of a new public-private venture, scientist have been able to learn how both wildlife and natural habitats recover with and without human interference.

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Growth and taxes: Can Alaska's local option sales tax system prove a model for Montana?

Lewis Kendall

June 17, 2018 |

Bozeman Daily Chronicle |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Juneau, Alaska

In Alaska, there is no statewide sales tax. Instead, individual municipalities vote on and control their own levies. In the capital city of Juneau, sales tax revenue covers about half of the city’s annual budget with more than 17 percent coming from the pockets of tourists. This system could make sense for Montana as well.

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How Kayakers Saved a River and Started a Movement

Eric Jankiewicz

June 08, 2018 |

NationSwell |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Albright, West Virginia

The Cheat River spans roughly 78 miles, running through eastern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania. It was once regarded as one of the most polluted rivers in America due to consequences of heavy mining in the region. As the whitewater adventure industry increased, however, so did the desire to clean up the river, which was how a group of kayakers formed what is now known as Friends of the Cheat.

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Barcelona Finds a Way to Control Its Airbnb Market

Feargus O'Sullivan

June 06, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Spain, Barcelona

Swamped by short-term vacation rentals, Barcelona pushed Airbnb to share data with government officials and help ensure that only licensed properties are listed on the site. The agreement offers a model for how other cities can respond to the same problem.

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A phoenix rising from the asbestos

John Blodgett

May 17, 2018 |

The Western News |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Libby, Montana

A town once plagued by a reputation of being an asbestos Superfund site as well as having been hit by the timber wars, Libby, Montana is back on the map. Lincoln County commissioner, Mark Peck of Libby, the county seat, decided to make it a priority to fix the negative connotation surrounding the town and partnered with a public relations firm to rebrand the city through the use of the community's unique story of rising from asbestos.

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