1.
La Nguyen Khang
– Institute for Forest Ecology and Environment, Vietnam National University of Forestry, Xuan Mai, Ha Noi, Vietnam
2.
Nguyen Thi Ha
ID
– Faculty of Natural Resources & Environment, Dong Nai Campus, Vietnam National University of Forestry, Dong Nai, Vietnam.
3.
Thi Thanh Thuy Phan
ID
– Faculty of Natural Resources & Environment, Dong Nai Campus, Vietnam National University of Forestry, Dong Nai, Vietnam
4.
Van-Chung Dong
ID
– International School, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
5.
Van Viet Nguyen
ID
– Faculty of Natural Resources & Environment, Dong Nai Campus, Vietnam National University of Forestry, Dong Nai, Vietnam
Abstract
The increasing pressure on natural ecosystems from tourism has raised concerns about the sustainability of visitor behavior. Promoting sustainable tourism practices is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly responsible consumption (SDG 12) and life on land (SDG 15). However, empirical evidence regarding the determinants of STB in emerging ecotourism destinations in Vietnam remains limited. This study investigates the drivers of STB at Hon Ba Nature Reserve, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, with particular attention to environmental awareness, infrastructure and accessibility, safety and risk management, satisfaction with landscape and environment, and quality of service. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted with 386 tourists using an intercept-based convenience sampling approach. The study applied Cronbach’s alpha reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and multiple linear regression. The results indicated that infrastructure and accessibility showed the strongest positive association with STB (β = 0.208, p < 0.001), followed by safety and risk management (β = 0.137, p = 0.005), satisfaction with landscape and environment (β = 0.131, p = 0.007), and environmental awareness (β = 0.117, p = 0.017). In contrast, quality of service did not demonstrate a statistically significant relationship with STB (β = 0.084, p = 0.086). Additionally, demographic analysis revealed significant differences according to gender and income level, whereas age, education, and occupation were not statistically significant. The findings suggest that STB in protected mountain reserves may be associated more strongly with environmental conditions, infrastructure systems, and destination-management factors than with conventional service-related attributes. The study contributes empirical evidence to sustainable tourism research in Vietnam and provides practical implications for improving ecotourism management and conservation-oriented tourism development in protected natural areas.
