Search Results (68)

The paper analyzes the evolution and strategy development for sustainable community-based ecotourism (CBET) in the commune of Hoa Bac in Central Vietnam. It is based on a pilot project carried out from 2019 to 2025 within the scope of a larger research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) as part of the research line ‘Sustainable Urban Regions’. As a key component of the overall research approach, the goal of this pilot project along the Cu De River valley in the vicinity of the city of Da Nang has been a culturally adapted and ecologically sensitive tourism model that leads to income and socio-economic improvement, environmental protection and a decentralized low-impact infrastructure. The results of six years of qualitative longitudinal participatory research based on community workshops, interviews and surveys, direct observations as well as participatory field activities show how transformations in natural, cultural, human, social, financial and built capitals have shaped the transition from resource-dependent livelihoods to a diversified ecotourism economy. By mobilizing and empowering the local community, partly belonging to the Co Tu ethnic minority, sustainable development emerged not from isolated interventions but from a structured process of interlinked development strategies including cultural revitalization, environmental preservation, locally adapted agroforestry, skills and capacity development, cooperative governance, decentralized infrastructure, and income diversification. The study demonstrates that stakeholder and community empowerment, appropriately designed governance models (in this case the establishment of a tourism cooperative), targeted capacity development and knowledge transfer can strengthen the resilience and long-term sustainability of ecologically sound and culturally adaptive community-based tourism initiatives. Overall, the lessons learned from the research in Hoa Bac contribute to designing and implementing a holistic approach to CBET in rural settings. Full article

Community-based tourism enterprises (CBTEs) play an important role in supporting local livelihoods, preserving cultural heritage, and promoting sustainable tourism development. This study examines the relationships among supply chain integration, resilience capabilities, and sustainable development using survey data from 256 community-based tourism enterprises in Vietnam. A two-stage empirical approach combining Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) models was employed. The findings indicate that network design and information systems positively influence both proactive and reactive resilience capabilities, while collaboration strengthens proactive resilience but negatively affects reactive resilience. Strategy exerts the strongest positive effect on reactive resilience. Furthermore, both proactive and reactive resilience capabilities positively contribute to environmental, social, and economic sustainability outcomes. Reactive resilience demonstrates the strongest impact on environmental sustainability, whereas proactive resilience has the greatest effect on economic sustainability. An unexpected finding is the negative relationship between collaboration and reactive resilience, suggesting potential trade-offs between stakeholder dependence and organizational flexibility. This study extends Dynamic Capability Theory by distinguishing between proactive and reactive resilience capabilities and explaining how resilience facilitates the transformation of supply chain integration into sustainable development outcomes. The findings have practical implications for strengthening resilience and promoting sustainability in community-based tourism enterprises. Full article

Tourism destinations increasingly operate through digital platforms, real-time data, and online connectivity tools, yet service coordination among stakeholders remains constrained. This study analyses how tourism logistics information is created, updated, verified, shared, and used in service coordination at coastal destinations in Vietnam’s South Central Coast subregion. The study adopts a multi-stakeholder qualitative case study design, in which qualitative data from 42 participants provide the main source of evidence, while a supplementary descriptive survey of 358 participants is used only to contextualise and clarify selected issues within the sample. The findings show that existing digital tools and information channels support information search, transaction confirmation, operational coordination, and service feedback. However, coordination at the destination and inter-provincial levels remains limited when information flows are fragmented across stakeholders, channels or platforms, data or procedures, and local or regional spaces. On this basis, the study conceptualises the Tourism Logistics Information System (TLIS) as a socio-technical, inter-organisational, and coordination-oriented structure in which the value of information depends on the extent to which data are updated, verified, shared, and translated into coordinated action among stakeholders. The paper contributes to research on smart destinations, destination governance, and tourism supply chains by clarifying information fragmentation (IF) as a mechanism that constrains service coordination in inter-provincial coastal destination contexts. Full article

In the published publication (Nguyen, 2026), there was an error regarding the affiliation; the author requested to only display his primary affiliation and remove the second affiliation (School of Marketing and International Business, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand) in the published article [...] Full article

This study aims to explore and evaluate the factors influencing Gen Z’s intention to choose green tourism destinations in Hanoi, Vietnam. The paper proposes a comprehensive analytical framework by integrating the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A mixed-method approach was employed, in which quantitative data were collected from 269 Gen Z respondents in Hanoi and analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique through SmartPLS. The findings reveal that external environmental stimuli, including green destination image (GDI) and social media influence (SMI), positively affect individuals’ internal psychological states, namely environmental awareness (EA), attitude toward green tourism (ATT), and subjective norms (SM). These psychological states, in turn, exert positive effects and strongly promote Gen Z’s intention to choose green tourism destinations in Hanoi. This study not only contributes to filling the theoretical gap in sustainable tourism consumption behavior in the digital era but also provides practical managerial implications for policymakers and tourism businesses in developing communication strategies and tourism products that align with the preferences and expectations of younger generations. Full article

Culinary tourism is increasingly conceptualized as a strategic domain of destination competitiveness, in which gastronomic experiences serve as mechanisms for cultural representation and localized value creation. However, existing research remains fragmented in explaining how multidimensional culinary motivations translate into specific consumption behaviors, particularly in emerging destinations. Addressing this gap, this study develops and tests a motivation–behavior linkage framework grounded in push–pull motivation theory, conceptualizing culinary motivations as heterogeneous drivers with differential effects on intention to purchase local food. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed, beginning with an initial qualitative phase to refine measurement constructs, followed by a quantitative survey of 396 domestic tourists with prior culinary experience in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Data were analyzed using reliability assessment, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple regression modeling. The findings reveal a differentiated structure of influence: cultural experience, sensory appeal, and health concerns significantly enhance purchase intention, with cultural experience and sensory appeal emerging as the most influential predictors. In contrast, interpersonal and prestige motivations are non-significant, indicating that experiential and functional values outweigh social-symbolic drivers in this context. The study contributes by advancing push–pull theory through a behavior-specific, mechanism-based linkage; identifying context-dependent boundary conditions in an emerging destination; and refining culinary motivation by distinguishing experiential–functional from social-symbolic drivers. These insights inform more targeted strategies for promoting local food consumption and sustainable culinary tourism development. Full article

Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a global challenge that negatively affects marine ecosystems and fishers’ livelihoods. Survey results from 1864 capture fishers in Vietnam show that the total mass of ALDFG is 82,720 kg/year, with an average loss rate of 0.24% of the total plastic used. The average ALDFG mass from gillnet fisheries is 26.0 ± 1.2 kg/vessel/year, trap fisheries 16.1 ± 2.6 kg/vessel/year, hook and line fisheries 13.8 ± 1.4 kg/vessel/year, trawl fisheries 8.8 ± 1.1 kg/vessel/year, stick-held falling net fisheries 5.1 ± 2.1 kg/vessel/year, and purse seine fisheries 4.2 ± 1.4 kg/vessel/year. Polyethylene (PE) accounts for 47.4%, polyamide (PA) 29.5% and polypropylene (PP) 17.2% of the total ALDFG mass. Results from the selected partial proportional odds model show that fishers’ concern about ALDFG increases with education, fishing experience, vessel length, and stronger awareness of environmental and economic impacts, whereas age, days at sea, perceived navigation hazards, and perceived impacts on fish stocks are negatively associated with concern; perceived tourism impacts show a statistically significant threshold-varying effect across concern levels. These findings provide a scientific basis for developing sustainable fishing-gear management policies, aiming to reduce marine plastic pollution in Vietnam. These findings provide evidence for conservation-oriented fishing-gear management in Vietnam by identifying the gear types and fisher perceptions most relevant to reducing ghost fishing, marine plastic leakage, and risks to marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. Full article

This paper presents a study on green value co-creation behavior in the relationship to tourists’ behavior, including perceived green empowerment, experience value, satisfaction and brand advocacy, specifically considering the role of perceived greenwashing in these relationships based on Service-Dominant Logic. A quantitative study using the structural equation modeling analysis technique was conducted with customers of tourism businesses in Vietnam. The result of the study shows that green value co-creation behavior has a positive effect on perceived green empowerment, experience value, satisfaction and brand advocacy. In addition, the study also shows the positive effect of perceived green empowerment, experience value and satisfaction on brand advocacy. Perceived greenwashing reduces the impact of green value co-creation behavior on perceived green empowerment, experience value and satisfaction. The research results provide empirical evidence confirming the important positive role of green value co-creation and the barrier role of perceived greenwashing in achieving positive outcomes on customer behavior of tourism businesses. At the same time, the study provides useful information for managers in increasing perceived green empowerment, experience value, satisfaction and brand advocacy through customer green value co-creation activities, based on honest and standard green practices. Full article

Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this research examines how attitudes influence intentions and behaviors, and whether AI Chatbot serves as a contextual moderator that strengthens this linkage. Data were collected from 607 tourists at major destinations in Vietnam using systematic sampling. The hypotheses were tested with SPSS 26, AMOS 20, and the PROCESS macro to examine mediation and moderated mediation effects. The results show that e-booking intention partially mediates the relationship between e-booking attitudes and behavior. More importantly, AI Chatbot Adoption significantly enhances the intention–behavior linkage, thereby reducing the well-documented intention–behavior gap in e-booking. This result implies that tourism businesses and hotel managers can integrate AI Chatbot to provide real-time support, reduce customer hesitation, and improve booking conversion rates. Policymakers and AI developers are also encouraged to promote responsible adoption of AI in tourism to enhance service quality and customer trust. Full article

Sustainable tourism is increasingly important for local sustainable livelihoods; however, its development is often hindered by financial limitations. To address this critical constraint, this study investigates the relationship between tourist satisfaction and their Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Community-Based Tourism (CBT) service improvements. Employing a novel Culture Tower/KHUC Tower-based approach, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling with the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (CPBM), we analyze data from 275 young respondents collected in mid-December 2024 and mid-August 2025. Our empirical results demonstrate that tourist satisfaction is a strong predictor of WTP, alongside financial status, environmental concerns, and environmental quality assessment. Additionally, we identify food quality, service delivery, and infrastructure as the primary determinants of satisfaction in CBT contexts. The findings reveal that satisfaction-driven financing mechanisms can unlock sustainable revenue streams for CBT destinations, provided that strategic investments address key service quality dimensions. Our results have important implications for tourism managers and policymakers seeking to enhance financial sustainability through coordinated stakeholder engagement, targeted infrastructure improvements, and transparent fund management systems in Lac Village and beyond. Full article

Community-based tourism (CBT) is deemed a powerful means for enhancing community well-being and ethnic cultural preservation (CP). However, its sustainability has been challenged by resource scarcity, environmental pollution and funding instability in Vietnam. This study investigates young tourists’ perceptions of and financial contributions to community-based tourism associated with cultural preservation (CBT-CP) at Lac Village, a key White Thai ethnic site in Phu Tho province. Specifically, the contingent valuation method (CVM) coupled with an interval regression model was used to analyze the data obtained from 275 respondents during December 2024 to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for CBT-CP and identify influencing factors. We found that nearly 50% of the respondents are willing to contribute financially, with an average of roughly USD 4.45 per visit. This leads to total contributions of USD 2413 for all respondents and USD 1541 for respondents with a high certainty level of commitment. Additionally, we found that key barriers to WTP for CBT-CP are fiscal transparency concerns, personal financial limitations, and individual determinants. These findings offer many policy implications for mobilizing young tourists’ untapped funding, strengthening local management capacity, and advocating for enhanced transparency to improve CBT-CP in the study area and beyond. Full article

This study presents a comprehensive dataset developed to monitor coastal water quality in the south-central region of Vietnam, focusing on Nha Trang Bay. Environmental data were collected from four research cruises conducted between 2013 and 2024. Water samples were taken at two depths: surface samples at approximately 0.5–1.0 m below the water surface, and bottom samples 1.0 to 2.0 m above the seabed, depending on site-specific bathymetry. These samples were analyzed for key water quality parameters, including biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), and Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a). The data establish a valuable baseline for assessing both spatial and temporal patterns of water quality, and for calculating eutrophication index to evaluate potential environmental degradation. Importantly, it also demonstrates practical applications for environmental management. The dataset can support assessments of how seasonal tourism peaks contribute to nutrient enrichment, how aquaculture expansion affects dissolved oxygen dynamics, and how water quality trends evolve under increasing anthropogenic pressure. These applications make it a useful resource for evaluating pollution control efforts and for guiding sustainable development in coastal areas. By promoting open access, the dataset not only supports scientific research but also strengthens evidence-based management strategies to protect ecosystem health and socio-economic resilience in Nha Trang Bay. Full article

Community-Based Tourism (CBT) refers to forms of tourism owned and managed by local communities, designed to enhance participation, empowerment, and equitable benefit-sharing. This study investigates how climate-induced migration and donor investment disparities shape the uneven development of CBT across Vietnam. The research pursues three aims: (1) to evaluate how macro- and micro-level funding structures influence CBT readiness; (2) to analyze how spatial justice and post-development critique illuminate structural inequalities in tourism investment; and (3) to assess the implications for climate-vulnerable and ethnic minority communities, including their underrepresentation in CBT research and policy discourse. Methodologically, the study undertakes a systematic review of CBT literature (2014–2025), a thematic analysis of donor and government reports (World Bank, ADB, IFAD), and an estimation of regional funding flows using narrative coding and text-based pattern analysis. Findings reveal a persistent geographic and institutional bias toward the Southern Mekong Delta, which benefits from climate-resilience projects and tourism-specific investments, while Northern Highlands regions remain marginalized, receiving only poverty-focused funding. The paper contributes by integrating spatial justice and post-development critique into tourism studies, demonstrating how donor-led “resilience” agendas can inadvertently reinforce spatial inequalities, and offering policy recommendations for more equitable CBT planning, funding, and scholarly attention across Vietnam’s diverse regions. Full article

Population estimates and microhabitat characteristics are widely used to support conservation decisions. However, there had been no surveys focusing on the population status of the endemic and Critically Endangered Ta Kou bent-toed gecko to inform conservation actions across its distribution range. In this study, we conducted the first field surveys to assess its population status using the mark–capture–recapture method, determine microhabitat characteristics, and identify anthropogenic threats to the species’ survival in Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam. Based on our study results, Cyrtodactylus takouensis was only recorded on granitic rocks at various elevations from 265 to 694 m a.s.l. In total, 148 individuals of C. takouensis were detected in the dry season, and 95 individuals of C. takouensis were encountered in the rainy season. Of these, 73 and 51 adults were documented during the two seasons, respectively. The estimated total population size of C. takouensis was 315 individuals in the dry season (95% confidence intervals ranging between 189 and 581 individuals), whereas it comprised 149 individuals, calculated using the Petersen–Lincoln and Schnabel formula, in the rainy season (95% confidence intervals ranging between 108 and 361 individuals). The estimated difference in total population size was probably due to several factors, such as the rapid growth of interlaced vines making parts of the surveyed transects inaccessible during the rainy season, weather variations, and differences in survey effort and detection probability. Additionally, several microhabitat variables and species behaviors were investigated in both seasons. However, humidity was the only significant environmental variable when compared between the two seasons. Moreover, we found that tourism activities and parasites could pose threats to C. takouensis on Ta Kou Mountain. However, no structured or quantitative framework was employed to assess these risks in this study. Further research is needed to quantify factors affecting the species’ survival. Full article

This study analyzes how Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) communicates policy implementation in tourism governance through 35 official responses to citizen petitions, using Heidbreder’s Multilevel Policy Implementation Strategies Framework (centralization, agencification, convergence, networking). Content coding, frequency analysis, co-occurrence network, and sentiment analysis reveal a dominant centralization pattern, with MoCST maintaining strong top-down control in decision-making and resource allocation. Convergence reflects increased inter-ministerial coordination, while agencification is limited, and networking with private or civil sectors remains weak. This weak networking limits participatory decision-making and hinders the development of adaptive, community-based tourism initiatives, which are crucial for sustainable tourism governance. Positive sentiment is more associated with centralized and convergent actions, indicating institutional trust. The study extends Heidbreder’s framework to a non-Western, centralized context and calls for stronger local agency roles and inclusive networks to enhance resilience and community ownership in policy implementation. Full article