It is with great pleasure that we are publishing this Special Issue of Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, which has been most ably guest-edited by David Gertner of the Lubin School of Business, Pace University, New York.

The theme of economic development, especially as it applies to poor and emerging countries, is a fundamental one in place branding. The notion that brand management and its associated disciplines can help to provide sustainable competitive advantage for the places that need it most, lies at the heart of this journal's editorial mission, and must remain central to the field of place branding as it develops during the coming years.

This is a theme to which we will return on a regular basis, and I hope that this Special Issue will prove to be the start of a rich and productive conversation on this most important of topics.