Stakeholder Communication in Heritage Place Branding: The Case of Yogyakarta’s UNESCO Cosmological Axis

Abstract

The 2023 designation of the Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta as a UNESCO World Heritage Site created opportunities to strengthen its global identity, preserve its philosophical values, and support local communities. However, how stakeholders translate these values into a coherent place brand remains insufficiently understood. This study examines stakeholder roles, communication processes, and coordination constraints in heritage place branding. A qualitative case study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with seven informants representing the Balai Pengelolaan Kawasan Sumbu Filosofi (BPKSF), three local administrative units, and two Tourism Awareness Groups (Pokdarwis). The interviews were supplemented by UNESCO, heritage-management, regulatory, institutional, and communication documents, and the data were analyzed thematically. The findings demonstrate that BPKSF functions primarily as a coordinator, facilitator, and institutional bridge; local administrative units mediate communication between higher-level authorities and local communities; and Pokdarwis translates institutional heritage narratives and philosophical values into locally grounded cultural activities, tourism experiences, and kampung narratives. Communication occurs through coordination meetings, working groups, community consultations, heritage education, and cultural events. Nevertheless, information remains unevenly distributed, stakeholder initiatives are fragmented, and local potential has not been integrated into a coherent heritage place brand. The study contributes by conceptualizing heritage place branding as a multilevel heritage-value translation process involving institutional coordination, local contextualization, and community-based experiential translation.