Cultural identity as an antecedent: an extended theory of planned behavior explaining Gen Z's intentions to visit World Heritage Sites

Purpose This study extends the theory of planned behavior (TPB) by positioning cultural identity (CI) as a foundational antecedent shaping Generation Z's intention to visit World Heritage Sites (WHSs). Grounded in social identity theory, it examines how CI molds attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and ultimately visit intention in the context of Egyptian WHSs. Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was administered to 413 Gen Z international tourists visiting Egyptian WHSs. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the study assessed the measurement and structural models, capturing non-linear relationships and maximizing explained variance in visit intention. Findings CI exerted exceptionally strong effects on attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and visit intention, with the model explaining 72% of the variance in intention. Within the traditional TPB, only subjective norms significantly predicted intention, whereas attitude and perceived behavioral control had non-significant direct effects, indicating a generational shift toward identity-driven social validation. Research limitations/implications The use of a convenience sample in Egypt, a cross-sectional design and self-reported data limits causal inference and generalizability. Future research should incorporate longitudinal, cross-cultural designs, additional psychological and digital engagement variables and a more granular treatment of CI dimensions. Practical implications Heritage managers should prioritize identity-affirming, socially validated experiences, reduce access barriers and leverage digital communities to foster peer-endorsed visitation norms. Social implications This research illuminates how Gen Z leverages heritage tourism as identity anchoring, offering profound implications for cultural preservation and social cohesion. By demonstrating that identity-driven social validation – not individual attitudes – drives visitation intentions, the study reveals heritage sites' potential as platforms for intergenerational cultural transmission and collective memory-making. Policymakers and cultural institutions must recognize heritage engagement as fundamentally a social practice, fostering inclusive community participation rather than passive consumption. This reframing positions heritage conservation as invested cultural stewardship, strengthening Gen Z's commitment to protecting sites that embody their identities, thereby ensuring equitable cultural access across generations whilst reinforcing societal bonds through shared historical narratives. Originality/value This study uniquely positions CI as a foundational “master antecedent” within an extended TPB framework, departing from conventional rationality-based heritage tourism models. It empirically demonstrates that Gen Z heritage decision-making relies predominantly on identity-affirming social validation rather than individual attitudes or logistical convenience, offering actionable, generation-specific theoretical scaffolding and strategic insights for heritage management in the digital era.