Analysis of Factors Affecting Urban Tourism Branding with the Mediating Role of Tourists’ Mental Image: A Case Study of Tabriz

Urban tourism branding requires an understanding of the perceptual mechanisms through which the objective characteristics of a city are transformed into brand identity. This study aims to explain the mediating role of the tourists’ mental image in the relationship between urban attributes and tourism branding in the city of Tabriz. The research adopted a descriptive–survey method. The sample consisted of 384 tourists, determined using Cochran’s formula for an unlimited population and selected through purposive/snowball sampling. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire and analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (PLS SEM) with SmartPLS software. The results of the normality test indicated that the data were not normally distributed; therefore, a non parametric approach was applied. The findings revealed that four independent variables natural environment, physical–spatial quality, historical–cultural identity, and tourism infrastructure have a direct and significant effect on the tourists’ mental image. Among these variables, historical–cultural identity showed the strongest effect with path coefficient of 0.41. Furthermore, the mental image had a strong effect on urban tourism branding with a path coefficient of 0.65.

The Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA) indicated that the indicators “historical heritage” and “local culture” are in a desirable condition, whereas “air quality,” “tourist transportation,” and “information services” fall within the “concentrate here” area, indicating the need for improvement. Finally, the structural model demonstrated high explanatory power with an R² of 0.74 for the dependent variable. Overall, the findings suggest that tourism branding in Tabriz should focus on managing tourists’ perceptions and reducing existing infrastructure gaps