Analysis of Barriers to Branding Waterfront City Makassar and Surabaya in Indonesia Using Interpretive Structural Modelling Approach

Abstract

Indonesia boasts the second-longest coastline in the world, with almost half of its cities surrounded by bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and seas. The waterfront areas of these cities are vital and could be developed as a brand for each city. Two examples of such cities are Makassar and Surabaya, which have been developing waterfront city projects to increase tourism and improve city infrastructure. However, in practice, strengthening the branding of waterfront cities still faces various challenges. This research analyzes the barriers to strengthening city branding, specifically for waterfront cities in Makassar and Surabaya, using a case study method with a comparative descriptive design. The Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) approach was used to systematically analyze the barriers to branding waterfront cities and determine the best strategies for strengthening their branding. The identification of barriers revealed 15 barriers, which were summarized into five categories and structured into seven levels. Barriers with the highest value of driver power should be prioritized in problem-solving. Finally, this paper discusses strategies for strengthening waterfront city branding in Indonesia and presents the research findings, including recommendations for policy makers, urban planners, and stakeholders to collaboratively enhance the branding efforts and overcome the identified challenges.