The perceived impact of cultural heritage tourism on sustainable community development: a moderated-mediation analysis

Purpose – This paper investigates the impacts of cultural heritage tourism (CHT) dimensions on sustainable community development (SCD) in Bishnupur, India. It explores how cultural heritage tourism influences the quality of life (QL) and community involvement (CI) in local surroundings, thereby effecting sustainable development. Methodology/Design/Approach – The research employed structured questionnaires for data collection from the community. Structural equation modelling and moderated mediation analysis were used to examine the hypotheses. Findings –The study revealed that cultural heritage value (CHV) and perceived benefits (PB) significantly impact SCD, mediated by QL. Community involvement (CI) is found to moderate the mediating impact of QL on the connections among CHV, PB, and SCD. Originality of the research – This research introduces a moderated-mediated model to measure the impact of CHT on SCD, which is novel in the context of Bishnupur. It uniquely combined the dimensions of CHV, PB, and DD (destination development) with QL and CI to understand their interplay in fostering sustainable community development. Implications – These findings offer valuable insights for stakeholders in cultural heritage tourism, highlighting the importance of focusing on QL and CI to enhance SCD. The study indicates that local authorities and community members should work together to conserve and ensure cultural-heritage conservation and promote sustainable community development.