Abstract: From the perspective of brand niche, this article uses case study method and takes Huangling of Wuyuan county as the research object to explore the dynamic evolution mechanism of the growth process of rural tourism destination brands. The findings show that brand growth is essentially caused by the adjustment or transition of the brand niche. With the continuous optimization of the brand niche, the brand’s market position will be gradually improved, and eventually grows into a market-leading brand. The brand niche is composed of three dimensions, i.e., the breadth, the degree of overlap and the degree of dominance. The best direction for brand niche changes is to maximize the niche breadth, minimize the degree of overlap, and maximize the degree of dominance. The factors that cause the brand niche changes mainly come from the pressure of market demand and the pressure of market competition, effective response to these two influencing factors can promote the optimization of the brand niche.

Key words: ecological niche, rural tourism, brand growth, evolution mechanism