 Even within cities, there is a fierce competition between city centers urban vs. suburban areas; big-box retailers vs. local businesses; shopping malls vs. traditional downtowns.Proponents of place branding argue that this heightened competitive environment makes it important for places, no matter their size or composition, to clearly differentiate themselves and to convey why they are relevant and valued options.This view is supported and defended by Joao Freire, among others, who states that successful destination-brand management can be seen as an exercise of coordination where relevant variables—such as tourism infrastructures, quality of local services, and other destination-brand users need to be managed in order to achieve a coherent and desired destination-brand identity.