How do World Heritage Cultural Landscapes visually attract and educate tourists? A sentiment analysis based on eye-tracking experiments

Cultural landscapes, such as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, attract tourists through visually engaging elements that shape perceptions of heritage value. Research reveals that complex structures like historic sites and artificial features evoke stronger cognitive responses, longer fixations, and higher satisfaction, while excessive cognitive load can reduce preference. Nonlinear effects also emerge, where higher proportions of certain elements accelerate attention but may induce aesthetic fatigue. Among five Chinese sites studied, Hani Terraces and Hangzhou West Lake stood out for their visual appeal and revisit intention. The study combined online sentiment analysis, eye-tracking experiments, and questionnaires to provide actionable insights for balancing heritage conservation with sustainable tourism, emphasizing the need for simplified designs, crowd management, and enhanced interpretive media.

DAI, T., Luo, J., Shou, T., Wu, J., Xie, X., Xu, X., Zhu, N., & Ye, J. (2026). How do World Heritage Cultural Landscapes visually attract and educate tourists? A sentiment analysis based on eye-tracking experiments. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-026-08605-x