Unlocking transformation strategies for tourism resource management in agricultural heritage destinations: empirical analysis from 18 agricultural heritage sites in China

Tourism transformation in agricultural heritage sites is vital for linking rural revitalisation with conservation. Based on resource orchestration theory and mixed methods evidence from 18 Chinese agricultural heritage sites, this study examines how resources, service innovation, and management strategies shape tourism outcomes. It identifies three high-performance paths: Resource – Creative, Resource – Infrastructure, and Infrastructure – Creative, while showing that weak creative conversion and insufficient infrastructure constrain low performance. The findings reveal tourism transformation as spatial reorganisation shaped by creative place-making, infrastructure support, and institutional coordination. The study advances debates on multifunctional agriculture and spatial production, informing upgrades to agricultural heritage destinations.