This study explores factors contributing to the construction of red memories in red tourism. Survey data from red tourists at Mount Jinggang, China, were analyzed to examine factors that can shape red memories (i.e. memory development, memory improvement, and memory correction). Results from structural equation modeling indicated that Mount Jinggang’s red cultural atmosphere and tourists’ experiences each significantly influenced red memory development and improvement. Results suggested that tourists’ perceptions of the site’s red cultural atmosphere had no significant impacts on red memory correction. Furthermore, a multi-group analysis of intergenerational differences in red memories clarified the social evolution of such memories. These findings contribute to the red tourism literature by providing empirical support for the formation and development of tourists’ red memories. The results also enhance the understanding of red memories as a consequence of red tourism and offer managerial implications for red tourism marketing and planning.