Tourism is an important method for the revitalization and utilization of agricultural cultural heritage, with farmers playing a pivotal role in the development of agricultural heritage tourism (AHT). The implementation of AHT from the lens of farmer participation is essential for fostering the sustainable growth of agricultural cultural heritage. Based on 257 questionnaires of farmers in two villages using Anshan Nanguo pear cultivation systems, this study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the mechanism influencing farmers’ willingness to participate in AHT development. The findings reveal that (1) participation opportunity, participation ability, and identity recognition have significant positive effects on participation in AHT development willingness, while participation motivation has no significant positive effect on participation in AHT development willingness; (2) participation opportunity, participation ability, and identity recognition have significant positive effects on participation motivation; (3) participation motivation has a partial mediating effect among participation opportunity, participation ability, identity recognition, and participation in AHT development willingness. The strategies and recommendations put forth in this article have substantial practical implications for enhancing farmers’ willingness to participate in AHT development. Furthermore, this research contributes to broadening the research perspectives on AHT and promoting the sustainable preservation and tourism utilization of agricultural heritage within community participation frameworks.

Pro-poor tourism is a powerful tool in China’s poverty alleviation strategy, helping the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 1, no poverty. Thus, the Chinese experience in tourism poverty reduction could be instructive. Considering the dominant role of the government in PPT, this study examines the government’s PPT scheme within a sustainable livelihood framework, uncovering the usefulness of PPT in poverty alleviation. With thematic analysis, 18 cases are systematically coded, and several findings are discovered. Rural development is co-evolutionary with PPT, while livelihood capitals change correspondingly. Specifically, human capital is mentioned as the top priority, followed by economic capital, institutional capital, social capital, and natural capital. Analysis of the cases indicates that livelihood capital comprises multiple themes, and a variety of livelihood strategies are applied conditionally. Additionally, livelihood outcomes are in accord with the criteria of Beautiful Village, characterized by good quality of life. In summary, the success of the PPT in China is a comprehensive project, contributed to by a government-led model, a well-organized community system, effective community participation, and whole-of-society synergy. The study demonstrates that a paradigm shift has been seen in China’s PPT model and sheds light on tourism development in poverty alleviation globally.

Agricultural heritage tourism resources, represented by ecological vulnerability and cultural sensitivity, require careful stewardship. Tourists' environmentally responsible actions are vital for preserving both the natural and cultural environment of these destinations, ensuring their sustainability. According to “cognition-emotion-behavior theory” and the hierarchy model of tourism experience, this study constructs a conceptual model between tourists' environmental fit, place attachment and pro-environmental behavior. Structural equation modeling and the Bootstrap method are employed for empirical testing. Results indicate that: (1) Function fit has a significant positive effect on tourists' pro-environmental behaviors. (2) Service fit also has a significant positive effect on tourists' pro-environmental behaviors. (3) Place attachment mediates the relationship between environmental fit and pro-environmental behaviors. Therefore, recommendations are offered for managing agricultural heritage tourism destinations to cultivate tourists' sense of functional fit and service fit and to strengthen their place attachment.