SURABAYA’S EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN THE CITY’S BRANDING AND INTERNATIONAL VISIBILITY THROUGH SPARKLING SURABAYA (2005–2024)

This study will discuss the Surabaya City Government's efforts to strengthen its branding and international visibility through Sparkling Surabaya, during the period 2005 to the end of 2024. This study was conducted to examine the efforts made by the Surabaya City Government to strengthen its branding and international visibility through the Sparkling Surabaya branding. The period from 2005 to 2024 was chosen because it represents the period of Sparkling Surabaya’s operation as Surabaya’s tourism initiative. To obtain credible data, researchers conducted data collection in two ways: primary data through interviews with the Department of Culture, Youth, Sports, and Tourism, the Legal and Cooperation Section, and Surabaya City's paradiplomacy partners. In addition to primary data, researchers also obtained secondary data from journals or previous research, credible news, and press releases published by the Surabaya City Government. By using a qualitative approach, this research uses Keith Dinnie's perspective on city branding to examine the image, identity, and reputation that Sparkling Surabaya seeks to project to the public. In addition, the researcher also uses Takkdir Ali Mukti's thoughts on paradiplomacy because Sparkling Surabaya has utilized city paradiplomacy as a medium to reach a wider audience and spread the brand image. This study found that there are two main strategic efforts undertaken by the Surabaya City Government to strengthen city branding and its international visibility. The second strategy is to utilize digital-based media and strategies, and by utilizing Surabaya City's paradiplomacy partners in the fields of tourism and culture to implement international programs.