From awe to identity and revisit intention: Evidence from heritage tourism

Although awe has received increasing attention in tourism research, its role in shaping cultural identity and revisit intention in heritage contexts remains underexplored. This study develops a stimulus-emotion-identity-behavior framework to examine how awe mediates the effects of cultural atmosphere and historical relics on cultural identity and revisit intention. Using survey data from visitors to Mount Tai, China, and structural equation modeling, the results show that both cultural atmosphere and historical relics significantly enhance awe. Awe, in turn, directly and indirectly influences revisit intention through cultural identity, confirming a dual-path mechanism. Psychological engagement strengthens the effect of cultural atmosphere on awe, whereas nostalgia-proneness amplifies the effect of awe on cultural identity. The study contributes by positioning awe as a key mechanism linking heritage stimuli to identity formation and behavior, and by distinguishing between experiential and material pathways. However, the cross-sectional design and single-site context may limit generalizability. Future research should adopt longitudinal approaches and examine diverse heritage settings.