Healing through heritage tourism: indigenous cultural practices and mental wellness in traditional communities

Introduction Heritage tourism emerged as an important mechanism for preserving indigenous cultural traditions while potentially supporting psychosocial well-being. This mixed-methods study examined the associations between heritage tourism participation, cultural identity, resilience, social support, and psychological well-being among indigenous communities in Southwest China. Methods A total of 180 participants from Miao, Dong and Naxi communities were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling strategies. Quantitative data were collected using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and Cultural Identity and Belongingness Scale. Qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and the participant observation. Results Reliability analyses demonstrated strong internal consistency across instruments (Cronbach’s α = 0.86–0.91). Correlation analyses revealed the significant positive associations between heritage tourism participation and psychological well-being ( r = 0.38, p < 0.01), resilience ( r = 0.31, p < 0.01), social support ( r = 0.28, p < 0.01) and cultural identity ( r = 0.34, p < 0.01). Thematic analysis identified six major themes including cultural participation and resilience, traditional healing and psychological wellness, social cohesion and belongingness, ecological attachment and spiritual restoration, economic empowerment and well-being and tourism-related stress and cultural commodification. Participants described storytelling, ritual practices, traditional healing systems, ecological stewardship and community festivals as important sources of emotional support, cultural continuity and collective resilience. Discussion The concerns regarding commercialization, cultural performance pressure and unequal tourism benefits also reported. The findings suggest that heritage tourism may function as culturally grounded resource associated with psychological well-being when implemented through community-led, culturally sensitive and sustainable tourism frameworks.