Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>This study advances destination branding theory by proposing the Regenerative Destination Brand Gestalt (RDBG), a relational socio-ecological branding framework that integrates regenerative tourism and brand gestalt theory. Existing destination branding models primarily emphasize image and market positioning, offering limited explanation of how regenerative values are enacted through relationships among communities, ecosystems, and tourism practices. Adopting a grounded theory methodology (GTM), the study utilized multisite netnography of regenerative tourism discourse across five major social media platforms, supplemented by a systematic literature review (SLR). Analysis of 3,552 qualitative data units generated 18 thematic categories, which were synthesized into six higher-order dimensions. The framework comprises two interconnected layers: People, Place, and Purpose as foundational dimensions, and Connection, Coexistence, and Custodianship as relational processes through which regenerative values are enacted and sustained. The findings conceptualize regenerative destination branding as a dynamic socio-ecological system in which destination meaning emerges through reciprocal relationships among people, place, and purpose. The study contributes theoretically by extending brand gestalt theory beyond representational perspectives toward a relational and process-oriented understanding of destination branding, offering a new conceptual foundation for examining how destinations generate long-term socio-ecological value and resilience.</p>