Girona Episcopal: An Analysis of a New Cultural Brand

Abstract

In recent years, Girona has become a cultural centre of reference in Catalonia. The Girona City council’s creation of cultural and tourist brands presenting Girona as a city of cultural experiences actively contributed to the development of this centrality. These cultural and tourist promotion strategies are based on the network of events and festivals that consolidate the city as a local, national, and international cultural reference. However, before the adoption of these strategies, Girona was already a tourist destination due to the appeal of the rich and diverse historical and artistic heritage, concentrated, above all, in the Barri Vell (Old Quarter). The diocese of Girona and the Generalitat de Catalunya signed an agreement in 2016 to create a cultural brand called Girona Episcopal, which included Girona’s cathedral, the church of Sant Feliu, and the Museu d’Art de Girona. This new brand enriches and further strengthens the city’s attractive heritage by creating a coherent circuit that links the buildings and collections of the powerful bishopric of Girona. The network of cultural institutions generated, as has happened in other countries, contributes to offering content, resources, and services that, in addition to the single entrance ticket for the three heritage sites, allow feedback from visitors between them and give visibility to the collections of the Museu d’Art de Girona. This chapter aims to analyse the new cultural and tourist brand, according to the brand management and the brand orientation models. In addition, the brand’s strengths and weaknesses will be identified.