THE ROLE OF POLICY, DESTINATION MANAGEMENT, AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PRACTICES IN DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE HERITAGE TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN VIETNAM

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of Sustainable Tourism Policy and Destination Management, DSR, and Sustainable Tourism on Sustainable Tourism Development. By focusing on key tourism regions and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage destinations, the study addresses gaps in both theory and practice regarding the mediating role of DSR and the integration of environmental, economic, cultural, and infrastructure dimensions in sustainable tourism development. Data were collected from 564 tourists, including domestic, international, and local residents, across the Northern and North Central. A questionnaire based on a Likert scale, adapted from prior studies, was used. Data analysis was conducted using PLS-SEM to test the proposed hypotheses and the mediating role of DSR in the relationships between SPDM, ST, and STD. The findings reveal that SPDM, DSR, and ST all positively influence STD. Notably, DSR not only exerts a direct effect but also mediates the relationship between SPDM and STD, demonstrating that policies and destination management are effective primarily when implemented through social responsibility initiatives. Furthermore, ST encompassing environmental, cultural, economic, and infrastructure dimensions significantly drives STD, corroborating international evidence while providing novel empirical insights from the Vietnamese context. The study strengthens theoretical understanding of sustainable tourism, highlighting the critical role of destination social responsibility and the multidimensional integration of sustainability factors. The results offer important managerial implications for policymakers and tourism businesses in designing strategies to achieve balanced and long-term sustainable tourism development in Vietnam.