[Research Contribution] From Connectivity Bottlenecks to a Multi-Experience Connected City: Repositioning Dong Nai’s Brand in the Southern Key Economic Region
5 May, 2026
Keywords: city branding; urban brand; gateway city; connected city; transit city; connection experience; Dong Nai.
In the context of increasingly intense inter-urban competition, Dong Nai – a strategic gateway to the Southern Key Economic Region – is striving to reposition its urban brand through an integrated governance approach. Possessing the Long Thanh International Airport, an inter-regional transport infrastructure system, industrial parks, and abundant ecological resources, Dong Nai nevertheless faces a challenge: its disparate advantages have yet to be connected into a cohesive urban identity that can attract residents and transform transit passengers into diverse experiences. Research conducted by a group of authors from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) applies the Integrated Implementation City Branding Framework (IICBF) to analyze and propose a multi-experience urban development strategy, transforming Dong Nai from a transit point into an economically, touristically, and culturally attractive destination in the Southern region.
“City branding” – From a communication tool to an urban governance tool
City branding has shifted from a promotional and marketing tool to an urban governance tool. Rather than merely “selling” the city to tourists or investors, city branding today aims to build a long-term identity that both reflects local characteristics and engages internal urban stakeholders. A key point is differentiating city identity – existing attributes, newly built elements, and urban issues – from city image – how the public experiences and perceives the city. The goal is not merely to create a positive image, but to bring perceived image closer to city identity, especially when embedded in the process of solving urban problems.
The Integrated Implementation City Branding Framework (IICBF) provides an iterative governance process, transforming city identity from existing assets and issues into coherent experiences and images. This cycle includes: establishing a dedicated unit; identifying context, bottlenecks, and assets; developing strategy and identity; cross-sectoral integrated implementation; and continuous evaluation and adjustment. Thus, city branding becomes a practical governance tool, coordinating across sectors while creating a continuous feedback loop, helping the city develop synchronously and sustainably.
International experiences and lessons for Dong Nai
Research on modern cities shows that concepts such as gateway city, relational city, hub port city, or logistics hub all emphasize the connecting role of cities within flows of goods, people, knowledge, and capital. These intermediary cities typically combine three elements: multimodal connectivity infrastructure, an intermediary service ecosystem, and an open institutional environment for international trade and investment.
Typical cities such as Dubai, Doha, and Singapore have developed from their intermediary location advantages into connectivity nodes within global economic networks. Dubai became an international logistics and trade hub thanks to Jebel Ali Port, JAFZA Free Trade Zone, its international airport, and an integrated logistics system, combining infrastructure with urban development. Doha transformed from a transport hub into a multi-experience connected city, building Education City, developing its airport network, and new urban projects to integrate knowledge, services, and experiences. Singapore leveraged its strategic position along the Malacca Strait to develop its container port, Changi Airport, and an ecosystem of logistics, trade, and financial services, becoming a regional supply chain coordination center.
Several important lessons for Dong Nai can be drawn from these models. First, gateway infrastructure should be organized as part of the urban experience, not merely serving transportation but also creating value for stopovers, consumption, and services. Second, the city needs to transform its transit function into a destination experience, exploiting transit passenger flows through short-duration service products, culture, and local tourism. Third, urban assets – from forests, lakes, craft villages to cultural spaces – should be organized into continuous experience chains rather than developing in isolation. Finally, the success of a gateway city requires a strong governance structure, cross-sectoral coordination between infrastructure, services, and brand strategy, ensuring synchrony in implementing multi-experience connected urban projects.
For Dong Nai, its central position in the Southern Key Economic Region, the formation of Long Thanh International Airport together with the expressway network and nearby seaports, provides a foundation to develop as a gateway city and intermediary node, while creating opportunities to deploy a multi-experience connectivity ecosystem, linking infrastructure, tourism, culture, and services.
Applying the Integrated Implementation City Branding Framework (IICBF) to reposition and consistently govern the new Dong Nai brand
The Integrated Implementation City Branding Framework (IICBF) is applied to reposition Dong Nai as a “Gateway City – Multi-Experience Connectivity” and to govern its brand cohesively. Based on the development context, urban bottlenecks, existing strengths, and international lessons, the IICBF proposes that Dong Nai become a multi-region connectivity gateway, while also serving as a rich experiential destination within the Southern Key Economic Region.
Dong Nai’s new identity is positioned around four intertwined meanings:
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Strategic Gateway: Dong Nai is an aviation, logistics, and trade gateway, connecting Long Thanh, expressways, future railway lines, logistics centers, seaports, border gates, and Ho Chi Minh City.
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Inter-Regional Space: The province not only facilitates internal connections but also acts as an intermediary between the Southeast region, the Central Highlands, the central coast, and Cambodia, reflecting its capacity to connect a vast economic region.
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Multi-Experience Stopover and Transit Hub: Dong Nai should not merely be a place to pass through but a short or long stopover offering tangible value, ranging from a few hours to a weekend.
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Diverse Tourist Destination: Possessing forests, lakes, communities, agricultural areas, culture, spirituality, history, industry, and aviation, the province has the foundation for multi-layered and distinctive tourism.
The IICBF is implemented in five steps: cross-sectoral coordination to ensure consistency; assessment of context, potential, and challenges; formulation of an urban brand strategy with a vision of a multi-experience connectivity gateway; translation of orientation into practical programs and projects; and finally, establishment of an evaluation and continuous feedback mechanism to adjust strategy according to practical conditions, enhancing the quality of life and attractiveness of Dong Nai.
The integrated implementation platform consists of six components:
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Spatial Restructuring: following a logic of Gateway Core (surrounding Long Thanh airport) – corridors – nodes – experience destinations, creating a coherent spatial system and a distinctive identity.
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“Stop to Experience” Ecosystem: transforming transit passengers into experience customers through a “Free Dong Nai Transit Tour” program with services ranging from micro-stops, half-day tours, overnight stays to corridor-based journeys and an intelligent personalization platform.
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Multi-Experience Tourism Product Clusters: including ecology (forests), lakes/water, community/agriculture, culture/heritage/spirituality, industry/logistics/innovation, and gateway relaxation & MICE, forming a coherent and accessible experience system.
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Transport Infrastructure as Service Infrastructure: roads, interchanges, corridors, and last-mile connections are organized to facilitate both movement and experience, from gateway service complexes to shuttle systems, electric vehicles, and landscape corridors.
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Urban Governance Architecture: four tiers comprising the Provincial Brand Council, the Experience Office, corridor management teams, and local destination partners, ensuring cross-sectoral coordination, synchronized implementation, and community engagement.
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Communication and Data Ecosystem: based on real experiences, building a clear brand story, cohesive sub-brands, a smart platform for visitors, signature events, and a real-time feedback system, ensuring the brand is vibrant, recognizable, and sustainable.
The IICBF not only creates a theoretical identity but transforms Dong Nai’s existing challenges into a creative driving force, enhancing economic, experiential, and community value, while shaping Dong Nai into a gateway city with multi-experience appeal, fostering long-term bonds with residents, investors, and regional partners.
It can be concluded that to become a multi-experience connected city, Dong Nai must shift from a mindset of “infrastructure for passing through” to “infrastructure for stopping, experiencing, and creating value.” If it succeeds in this, the province will not only possess a new brand but will also own a new development model – sustainable, distinctive, and highly attractive.
Authors: Le Thi Hanh An, Pham Nguyen Hoai, Trinh Tu Anh – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH)
This article is part of the series disseminating research and applied knowledge from UEH with the message “Research Contribution For All.” UEH respectfully invites all readers to look forward to the next UEH Research Insights newsletter.
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