Regional identities in Overijssel the relation between the experienced regional identities of inhabitants and the perception of visitors in the light of branding Maite Huiskamp Master thesis Human Geography Nijmegen School of Management Radboud University Nijmegen ii Regional identities in Overijssel the relation between the experienced regional identities of inhabitants and the perception of visitors in the light of branding Maite Huiskamp s4261119
[email protected] April 11, 2019 Master thesis Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen School of Management Master thesis - Human Geography Supervisor: dr. B.M.R. van der Velde iii iv Preface With this master thesis I am concluding several years of studying in Nijmegen at the Radboud University. During my studies I have become academically knowledgeable in the fields of human geography and communication, as well as more self-aware and surrounded by great friends. It is a period I look back at with joy and I am certainly going to miss the city that I’ve grown to love. The process of writing this master thesis has been a whole learning process of its own. At first finding the topic for my research was quite the challenge, since my interests are inherently broad and there were many interesting ways to go. In the end I decided on the topic of regional identities and engaged in a challenging internship with MarketingOost in Zwolle. In my time with them I became increasingly acquainted with the activities that come with the branding of cities and regions, and I had my first experience in an office-environment. They facilitated the reflections necessary for my research and helped me find a focus on a specific case for this study.