Understanding the Factors Associated with Decisions for Intangible Cultural Heritage Products: A Sichuan Cultural-Tourism Integration Perspective Based on Cognition, Value Label, and Tourism Context

Against the strategic backdrop of China’s efforts to advance the deep integration of culture and tourism, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has become an important vehicle for cultural preservation and market-oriented revitalization. However, ICH products often exhibit a structural supply–demand mismatch—commonly characterized as “widely praised but poorly purchased”—which makes consumption a natural focal point of inquiry. Based on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theoretical framework, this study draws on 622 valid responses from a survey of permanent residents in Sichuan Province. Employing binary logit regression, placebo tests, moderation models, and subgroup regressions, this study systematically examines the factors associated with purchase decisions regarding ICH products, and the mechanisms through which ICH awareness, value label, tourism experience, and social-media use affect those decisions. The results show that (1) ICH awareness and value labels are the most robust and statistically significant correlates of purchase decisions. Once awareness and value perception are controlled for, cultural-tourism travel and consumption stimuli are no longer statistically significantly associated with purchase decisions. (2) The association between cultural-tourism travel and purchase decisions is stronger among respondents reporting satisfactory tourism experiences, and the association between ICH awareness and purchasing is stronger among active social-media users. Together, these conditions appear relevant to the translation of cultural interest into consumption. (3) The logic underlying purchase decisions exhibits pronounced differences across income, age, education, and gender groups. Among high-income consumers the significant associations are concentrated in cultural-tourism experiences and in-depth awareness, whereas among low-income consumers they are concentrated in value-based cues. Among younger consumers, particularly those born after 2000, the strongest association is the one with ICH awareness; among women, it is likewise the one with affective identification rooted in cognitive awareness. These findings suggest that policies designed to promote ICH consumption should prioritize systematic public-awareness initiatives and value-narrative marketing rather than relying solely on short-term price subsidies. They should also adopt differentiated strategies tailored to different consumer segments.