Exploring the influence of locality on stakeholder behavioral intentions in industrial heritage tourism from a sense of place perspective

This study advances the Cognitive-Affective-Conative (CAC) model by conceptualizing a novel framework that integrates stakeholders’ local perception, sense of place, and behavioral intentions in industrial heritage tourism. Using Zigong Salt Farm, China, as an empirical case, we investigate three critical questions: (1) How do stakeholders’ local perceptions influence their behavioral intentions? (2) What role does sense of place play in mediating this relationship? (3) How do these mechanisms differ across stakeholder groups? By employing multi-group structural equation modeling (SEM) and rigorous measurement invariance tests, this research contributes to the literature in three key ways. First, it establishes sense of place as a pivotal mediator bridging cognitive perceptions (local perception) and conative behaviors (behavioral intentions), addressing the underexplored affective dimension in heritage tourism studies. Second, it reveals heterogeneous pathways across four stakeholder groups (residents, tourists, managers, policymakers), demonstrating that local perception’s impact on behavioral intentions varies significantly depending on stakeholders’ roles and identities. Third, it provides actionable insights for sustainable heritage management, emphasizing the need for stakeholder-specific strategies to enhance place attachment and engagement.