Demographic variables descriptive statistics.

As the core carrier of cross-cultural communication, World Cultural Heritage sites along the Silk Road face challenges from cultural distortion risk. However, the specific mechanisms linking this risk to tourist loyalty, particularly the mediating roles of perceived value and satisfaction, remain under explored. This study aims to elucidate this dynamic pathway by constructing and testing a theoretical model of “cultural distortion risk→Perceived Value→Tourist Satisfaction→Tourist loyalty “. Focusing on the Maijishan Grottoes and utilizing 381 valid questionnaires, we employed covariance-based structural equation model (CB-SEM) grounded in Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) theory and the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) model reveal the chain effects of cultural distortion risk on tourists’ cognition, emotions, and loyalty. These results demonstrate: (1) cultural distortion risk significantly reduces perceived value (β = −0.409, p