Title: Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder: a logistic regression analysis of sustainability and locality as competitive vehicles for human settlements

Authors: Aliye Ahu Gulumser, Tuzin Baycan-Levent, Peter Nijkamp

Addresses: Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Istanbul Technical University, Taskisla, 34437, Taksim, Istanbul, Turkey. ' Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Istanbul Technical University, Taskisla, 34437, Taksim, Istanbul, Turkey. ' Department of Spatial Economics, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract: The present paper aims to investigate the role of creative practices for settlements, with a special focus on the |Associations of the Most Beautiful Villages| in France and Italy. The paper focuses on the critical parameters of a locality related to the attractiveness of villages from the perspective of visitors and the role of the above-mentioned Associations from the perspective of the local population. Data and information used are derived from in-depth questionnaires filled out by relevant experts from 32 villages. In order to achieve this aim, a multivariate statistical technique, viz. logistic regression, is deployed. The study presents the preliminary results of the analysis on the roles of non-profit organisations in the marketing of settlements regarding their performance in terms of creativity, innovativeness and competitiveness. The results show that the Associations play a crucial role in sustainable development and create an attractive image for villages.

Keywords: sustainability; sustainable development; most beautiful villages; rural areas; locality; cultural heritage; logistic regression analysis; human settlements; creativity; France; Italy; non-profit organisations; marketing; innovativeness; innovation; competitiveness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2009.027530

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2009 Vol.12 No.1, pp.95 - 110

Published online: 28 Jul 2009 *

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