The Factors Influencing on Brand Value of Intangible Cultural Heritage Tourism from The Visitors’ Perspective of Liubao Tea in Wuzhou City, Guangxi Province, China

Abstract

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) tourism has emerged as a crucial driver for regional identity, economic vitality, and cultural sustainability. Among such examples in China, Liubao tea in Wuzhou City, Guangxi Province, serves as a unique ICH asset combining traditional tea-making, cultural rituals, and community-based tourism. However, little is known about the brand value of ICH tourism from the perspective of visitors. This study aims to explore the factors that influence the brand value of Liubao tea ICH tourism, using a mixed-method approach to integrate both quantitative visitor evaluations and qualitative stakeholder insights. This study adopts a mixed-methods research design. In the quantitative phase, structured questionnaires were administered to 400 tourists visiting Liubao tea cultural sites. The survey focused on five core components of brand value: brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, brand association, and brand loyalty. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were used to identify key drivers of brand value. In the qualitative phase, 20 in-depth interviews were conducted with key stakeholders—including tea farmers, tourism service providers, cultural officials, and local government representatives. Thematic content analysis was used to examine how these stakeholders perceive and contribute to branding strategies and cultural experience delivery. The findings reveal that overall brand value is perceived at a high level among tourists, with brand loyalty emerging as the strongest component. Among the determinants, destination-based factors—such as the authenticity of tea-making demonstrations, the aesthetics of cultural landscape, and the quality of interpretive services—had a more significant impact than individual tourist behavior. Furthermore, government policies such as infrastructure development, cultural preservation initiatives, and fiscal incentives were found to enhance brand perception. Stakeholders highlighted the importance of storytelling, traditional rituals, and environmental aesthetics in reinforcing the emotional and symbolic value of the Liubao tea brand. This study provides empirical evidence and strategic insights for policymakers, tourism developers, and cultural heritage custodians. The findings suggest that enhancing destination authenticity, integrating narrative-driven cultural elements, and investing in infrastructure and local capacity-building can strengthen brand value. The study also underscores the importance of aligning branding with the values of sustainability and cultural respect. These insights may be adapted to other ICH tourism contexts in China and across Asia. Liubao tea tourism demonstrates that strong brand value in ICH tourism can be cultivated through a combination of quality visitor experience, meaningful cultural integration, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. The success of Liubao tea as an ICH brand lies not only in product quality but also in the visitor’s emotional attachment, sense of identity, and immersive cultural encounters. Future research should investigate longitudinal visitor experiences and compare multiple ICH tourism sites to identify patterns of successful branding. Ultimately, this study contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable cultural tourism and heritage-based regional development, destination branding theory with cultural tourism management. It provides practical guidance for policymakers, tourism operators, and community stakeholders, emphasizing the need to align cultural authenticity with strategic marketing efforts. Sustainable development of ICH tourism requires collaborative planning that honors heritage while adapting to market dynamics.