Green Travel Choices Can Be Influenced by Color

Color psychology is the study of how colors affect human behavior and judgment. Certain colors can subtly influence decisions made in the tourism industry, such as choosing eco-friendly products.

Zhang et al. (2024) look into how color cues can encourage travelers to choose more environmentally friendly options, such renting electric cars (EVs). According to the study, tourists were more likely to select electric vehicles (EVs) than conventional cars when promotional materials used the environmentally friendly colors blue or green.

By employing these colors, which are thought to be more environmentally friendly, in advertising campaigns, signage, and online platforms, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) may encourage tourists to select more sustainable solutions.

Tourism workers can subtly promote sustainable practices while preserving the tourist’s alternatives and choice by employing color psychology. This can improve the experience of tourists while supporting environmental preservation and sustainable tourism initiatives.

The study can be found here.

AU, W. C. W., LIN, P. M. C., & CHI, F. (2024). Nudging with colors to promote electric vehicle rentals. Annals of Tourism Research, 109(103843), 103843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2024.103843

Written by: Reed Davisson