Enhancing emotional responses of tourists in cultural heritage tourism: the case of Pingyao, China

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aims to examine the interplay between heritage tourists’ experiences and their emotional responses, and to identify the mediating effect of Memorable Tourism Experiences (MTE), drawing upon the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theory. The study was conducted in Pingyao, a UNESCO-listed heritage city. Employing a convergent concurrent mixed-methods approach, this study combines quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (interview) methods to collect data. The results identified the positive effects of authenticity, nostalgia, and sacredness on MTE. Additionally, the study demonstrated that under the mediating effect of MTE, authenticity, nostalgia, and sacredness directly and indirectly affect subjective well-being and destination image. Although the direct impact of sacredness on destination image has not been definitively identified, the indirect impact mediated by MTE is positive and significant. This paper contributes to the research on tourist emotions and offers practical suggestions for the development of cultural heritage sites.