Investigating the place marketing levels of Business Improvement Districts in South Africa

Place marketing is one of the primary services offered by Business Improvement Districts in an attempt to rejuvenate decayed areas in towns and cities around the world. The success of the place marketing process is influenced by the interrelationship of the three levels of place marketing, namely target markets, place marketing factors and the place marketing planning group. The objective of this study was to identify the levels of place marketing of Business Improvement Districts in order to improve the effectiveness of the place marketing process. Judgement sampling was used to select research participants. Data was collected by conducting nine semi-structured interviews with Business Improvement District managers. Results indicated that Business Improvement Districts in South Africa primarily target property owners, business owners and residents. Place marketing factors included location, historical significance, safety and recreational facilities. The place marketing planning group comprised of multiple stakeholders, ranging from management to local residents.