How does the tourist experience affect the conservation of World Heritage Sites via the stimulus‒organism‒response model? Mount Sanqingshan National Park, China

World Heritage Sites (WHSs) have enormous charm and Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), thereby attracting many visitors and exerting pressure on heritage protection and conservation to some degree. The current investigation uses the stimulus‒organism‒response (S-O-R) model, chooses the World Natural Heritage Site of Mount Sanqingshan National Park as a case study, utilises structural equation modelling as a technical method and relies on 565 visitors’ experience perception samples to investigate tourists’ perceived behavioural intentions towards WHS conservation. The following relational outcomes are attained. (1) As stimulus factors, tourism involvement, service quality and OUV attractiveness positively influence tourists’ perceived value perceptions, place attachment and satisfaction, although the assumption that OUV attractiveness to tourist satisfaction is not supported; (2) in terms of organic transformation, tourists’ value perceptions and satisfaction are important for heritage protection, while the assumption of place attachment for WHS protection is not tenable; (3) a framework for the impact mechanism of tourism heritage protection according to the S-O-R model is established, which generally shows that tourists’ perceptions and emotional attitudes have positive impacts on WHS protection intentions; and (4) relevant measurements to improve WHS protection and tourism management are proposed to support the sustainable development and heritage conservation of WHSs. This research broadens the horizon of WHS conservation and has meaningful practical significance and theoretical value.