Digital-Intelligent Design for Cultural Heritage Activation: Traditional Spatial Regeneration, Cross-Cultural Identity Resonance, and Sustainable Tourism Participation

Digital technologies are increasingly used in cultural heritage tourism, yet many heritage activation projects remain focused on technological display rather than on the psychological pathways through which visitors develop cultural understanding and sustainable participation. This study examined how digital-intelligent heritage design and traditional spatial regeneration influence sustainable tourism participation through perceived authenticity, immersive experience, cross-cultural identity resonance, and place attachment. A scenario-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in a regenerated traditional craft heritage exhibition space in eastern China between March 15 and May 30, 2025. Participants completed a standardized digital heritage exposure and then answered an anonymous questionnaire. A total of 386 valid responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results showed that digital-intelligent design significantly predicted perceived authenticity and immersive experience, while traditional space regeneration significantly predicted perceived authenticity and cross-cultural identity resonance. Perceived authenticity and immersive experience both contributed to cross-cultural identity resonance, and cross-cultural identity resonance further predicted place attachment and sustainable tourism participation. Place attachment also showed a significant positive effect on sustainable tourism participation. The direct path from digital-intelligent design to sustainable tourism participation was not significant, whereas several indirect pathways were supported. These findings suggest that digital heritage design does not automatically generate sustainable tourism behavior. Its effect depends on whether digital and spatial design can activate authenticity, immersion, cultural identity resonance, and emotional attachment to place. The study provides an integrated design–experience–identity–attachment framework for understanding cultural heritage activation in digitally mediated tourism settings.