Unveiling City's Branding Strategy as the Premier Islamic and Tsunami Tourism Destination: The Case of Banda Aceh, Indonesia

This study examines the branding strategy of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, as the premier Islamic and tsunami tourism destination. Banda Aceh has gained international recognition for its rich Islamic heritage and its profound connection to the devastating tsunami of 2004. The research aims to unveil the city's branding strategy and explore the relationship between the Islamic-related object (IRO) variable and the Tsunami tourism destination (TTD) through quantitative analysis. Of 29.213 tourists who visited the city in 2019, 200 of them were selected as the sample of the study using a simple random sampling technique. The primary data collected through questionnaires and interviews were then analyzed using multiple regression techniques. Based on the results of data analysis using multiple regression techniques, this study found that Islamic-related objects and Tsunami-related objects play an important role in determining Tsunami tourism destination in the city of Banda Aceh. These findings are supported by the robustness tests conducted, which confirmed the validity of the proposed model and its suitability for policy inference. This highlights the importance of preserving and promoting the city's Islamic heritage and incorporating tsunami-related elements in the branding strategy. Policy makers should allocate resources and develop policies to support these efforts, collaborating with local communities and cultural organizations for effective integration. Additionally, they should prioritize the development of cultural and educational experiences, involve local communities, and implement educational programs to raise awareness of cultural preservation and responsible tourism practices.