This study investigates the complex relationships between cultural capital, visitor motivation, perceived authenticity, visitor engagement, tourism infrastructure, community involvement, and economic impact in cultural heritage tourism. Employing a mixed-method approach, we combine structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to analyze data collected from 512 visitors to cultural heritage sites. The SEM results reveal that cultural capital and visitor motivation positively influence visitor engagement, which in turn mediates their effect on economic impact. Perceived authenticity moderates the relationship between cultural capital and visitor engagement, while tourism infrastructure and community involvement directly affect economic impact. The fsQCA findings uncover multiple configurational pathways leading to high visitor engagement and economic impact, demonstrating the principle of equifinality in cultural heritage tourism. Our research contributes to the field by integrating visitor characteristics, site attributes, and engagement in a comprehensive model, and by employing a novel methodological approach that captures both linear relationships and complex configurational patterns. The findings provide valuable insights for tourism managers and policymakers, suggesting tailored strategies based on destination strengths and visitor profiles to enhance engagement and maximize economic benefits in cultural heritage tourism.