Place-based branding through regional labels in Europe's peripheries : the case of the Borsod-Torna-Gömör Brand, Hungary

Abstract

Regional labels are promoted as tools of rural identity and place-based development, but their role in post-socialist peripheries remains underexplored. This article examines the Borsod–Torna–Gömör regional label in Northeast Hungary and its contribution to agrotourism. The study combines aggregated survey results covering 56 certified members with seven expert interviews and document analysis. The findings show that the label strengthens territorial identity, cooperation and quality signalling, while weak marketing, limited digital visibility and fragile institutional support constrain its wider impact. The case shows that regional labels can act as institutionalised instruments of place-based branding, but their resilience-building capacity remains conditional.