Integrating Mongolian Culture into Agro-Tourism for Rural Income Growth: Evidence from Gongjiban Village, Inner Mongolia

This study discusses the impact of cultural influences within conventional Mongolian settings on rural income generation through agro-tourism in Gongjiban Village, Inner Mongolia. Drawing from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the theoretical model discusses Cultural Identification (CI) and Emotional Response (ER) as antecedents to Behavioral Intention (BI) for income-generating participation. Data were collected according to a structured survey of 110 residents, officials, and rural entrepreneurs, and the model was estimated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS–SEM) with mediation analysis. Results show that CI and ER have a strong impact on BI, which in turn predicts Economic Engagement (EE) in agro-tourism enterprises, culturally branded product production, and participation in festival-based markets. BI serves as a mediating process, translating cultural identity and emotional incentive into tangible economic behaviors. While the study is empirically grounded in Gongjiban Village, its implications depict the broader applicability of culture-based embedded agro-tourism to diversify family incomes, enhance value chain inclusion, and drive economic resilience in ethnic minority regions. Policy implications reinforce the significance of integrating cultural capital into rural development planning. Contextualized responses are called for to maximize economic viability without sacrificing intangible cultural heritage, offering pragmatic lessons to policymakers, rural planners, and local actors.