Cultural Heritage Cognition and Visitor Experience Among Chinese Diaspora Visitors: Exploring the Mediating Role of Expectations

As vital carriers of cultural transmission, heritage sites offer tourists rich and immersive cultural experiences. This study examines the mechanisms by which cultural heritage cognition affects the tourism experience of diaspora visitors, with a specific focus on the mediating role of visitor expectations.Drawing on the Cognition–Affect–Behavior (C-A-B) model, this research conceptualizes cultural heritage cognition as a multidimensional construct, comprising awareness level, aesthetics, and attitudes. It explores the direct and indirect effects on visitor experience. Based on empirical data collected from 392 diaspora visitors visiting Quanzhou, PLS-SEM was employed to validate the proposed relationships. The findings indicate that all three dimensions of cultural heritage cognition exert significant influences on both visitor expectations and visitor experience. Moreover, visitor expectations serve as a significant mediator in the relationship between cognition and experience. These results not only extend the theoretical understanding of diaspora tourism within the context of cultural heritage but also offer practical insights for destination managers aiming to enhance experience quality through expectation management and cognitive engagement strategies.