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| COLOR MARKETING: THE NEW CHOICE OF TOURIST DESTINATION MARKETING |
| LUO Mei-juan1, ZHENG Xiang-min2 |
1. School of Management, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510520, China;
2. College of Tourism, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China |
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Abstract Under the circumstance of increasing competition, an effective marketing method can be a trump for tourist destinations. Color marketing has been popular for 30 years in both overseas and domestic markets. Based on the expatiation of color marketing theories, this paper systematically analyzes the feasibility, implementing method, "three taboos" of color marketing applications in tourism destinations, and argues that color marketing is a new choice for tourist destination marketing. Main contents are as follows: 1) The feasibility of applying color marketing in tourism. It is reflected in the following four aspects: firstly, color is one of the significant features of tourist resources; secondly, color is one of the important attractions of tourist products; thirdly, color is one of the main value embodiments of the tour souvenirs; fourthly, color is one of the remarkable symbols of image to tourist destinations. 2) The implementing method of tourist destinations. It could be summarized as: color positioning of tourist destination's image → color positioning of tourism destination's brand → color positioning of tourism destination's products (presented from top to bottom). The formative method of the corresponding color is: the inner traits of color → manifested traits of color →abstractive traits of color (presented from bottom to top). A roadmap for implementing color marketing in tourist destination is also constructed on the basis of theoretical analysis. 3) "Three taboos" in the applications of color marketing. While applying color marketing in tourist destinations, there are three taboos: firstly, taboo of ignoring preferences of market segments. Before applying the strategy of color marketing, the color preferences of target customers must be analyzed, and changes of market requirment should also be supervised to make necessary adjustments to the main colors of tourist destinations so as to avoid violent fluctuations in the development of tourism; secondly, taboo of blind imitations. Marketing methods can be copied, but special features of tourist destinations cannot be imitated. Therefore, blind imitation often leads to failure in marketing activities; thirdly, taboo of shortsightedness. Marketers may be shortsighted if they neglect the consistence between different parts and the whole, short-term results and long-term strategies, image positioning of tourist destination, brand positioning and product positioning.
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Received: 03 September 2009
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2010, Vol. 25 
