Ecotourism Brand Strategy in Jiangsu Province from the Consumer Perspective

Ecotourism serves as a vital mechanism for converting green assets, including “reservoirs of water, grain, capital, and carbon” as well as the cultural and folkloric wealth embedded in historical and intangible cultural heritage resources, into tangible productive forces. The ecotourism brand plays a crucial role in fostering positive consumer engagement, which in turn significantly influences consumer decision-making processes. To enhance the ecotourism brand’s influence in Jiangsu Province, this study employs exploratory research methods, including secondary data analysis and surveys, to collect pertinent information. The recent surge in ecotourism consumption expenditure as well as the substantial influence of user-generated content of ecotourism brands on consumer decision-making processes are investigated. Furthermore, it performs a comparative analysis of the regional distribution and revenue of national-level ecotourism areas and rural ecotourism towns in Jiangsu Province. The results indicate that Jiangsu Province faces several challenges, including limited communication effectiveness, unbalanced distribution of ecotourism brands, homogeneity in rural ecotourism market positioning, inadequate transportation connectivity,and suboptimal service quality. Based on these findings, this study recommends a series of strategic initiatives to enhance the ecotourism brand’s communication channels through intensified collaboration with user-generated content platforms. Moreover, relevant departments should foster a diverse and robust portfolio of ecotourism brand matrix among leading ecotourism and rural ecotourism. Creating peak experiences for consumers’ key perception points in ecotourism service activities should be considered. These strategies are designed to elevate the prominence and recognition of the ecotourism brand in Jiangsu Province and facilitate its high-quality development.