[Podcast] The Impact Of Privacy Concerns On Tourists’ Data-Sharing Behaviors: The Case Of Vietnam
23 November, 2024
Keywords: Privacy Concerns, Data-Sharing Behaviors, Privacy Calculus, APCO framework, Tourism
In the digital age, privacy has become a top concern for tourists as personal data is increasingly collected in the tourism industry. Technological advances make everything easier (posting, sharing or providing information and more), affecting almost every economic sector, especially the tourism industry in Vietnam. In this research, the author from University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) pointed out tourists’ concerns regarding privacy and its impact on data-sharing behavior in Vietnam, providing insights into factors affecting the tourism industry and optimizing customer experience upon ensuring personal information security.

Along with the development of the tourism industry and the increasing demand for digital services, organizations and businesses collect more personal data to improve user experience and to facilitate personalization and service optimization. However, this process comes with tourists’ concerns concerning privacy when sharing their personal information. Researches on this concern become urgent in the context of increasing data breaches, causing a loss of trust in customers and threatening the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tourism industry.
The author aimed at businesses in the Vietnamese tourism industry, data managers and customers to gain understandings of factors affecting tourists’ data-sharing behavior, providing recommendations on how to balance the need to collect data with privacy protection and to promote the sustainable development of the tourism industry.
The concept of privacy and data sharing in the tourism industry
* Privacy concerns:
Information privacy concerns or privacy concerns are individuals’ perceptions of the lack of control over their personal information. Privacy referring to an individual’s right to control personal information is concerned with how their information is used. In the tourism industry, privacy can include the control over sensitive information listed as name, address, phone number, personal preferences, even details of a customer’s travel history. Travelers are concerned about the possibility that information may be leaked, misused, or used for unwanted purposes, especially when businesses use this information for advertising or commercial purposes. Privacy concerns arise when travelers cannot control how information is used and stored. Therefore, this concern becomes more complicated in the context of Vietnam’s international integration and strong tourism development, requiring strict data security standards and information management.
*Data Sharing Behavior:
Data-sharing behavior focuses primarily on the travelers’ willingness to provide their personal information. To be effective, the tourism industry needs not only data but also an understanding of travelers’ psychology and motivations in their sharing personal information, their trust in service providers, and the level of information security they feel secure about.
*APCO Framework in Privacy Research:
The APCO (Awareness – Perception – Control – Outcome) framework is a model that helps analyze privacy concerns. In the tourism context, this framework will help assess: travelers’ awareness of privacy risks, their security perception, their ability to control information, and the impact of these factors on their decision to share data.
Factors influencing privacy concerns and willingness to share information
*Personal factors are comprised of the following:
Trust: Travelers’ trust in service providers is their belief in the provider’s ability to protect personal data with reducing privacy concerns. The higher this trust is, the less risk and uncertainty the travelers feel regarding disclosing personal data. In addition, trust in travel service providers is a decisive factor in data-sharing behavior: when travelers believe that their information will be protected safely, they tend to provide information more freely. Conversely, previous privacy violations or information abuses will cause distrust, reducing customers’ ability to share data.
Privacy orientation: Travelers’ intrinsic tendency to value privacy has a positive impact on their level of privacy concern. Those with strong privacy orientation tend to feel a lack of control over their personal data.
Privacy awareness: Perceptions of privacy risks and practices increase travelers’ level of concern. As travelers become more aware of privacy issues through media and past incidents, they become more concerned about the potential for data misuse by service providers.
Perceived privacy control: The belief in the ability to control personal information can reduce privacy concerns. However, in contexts like Vietnam, where technology and supporting laws are limited, this factor may be less important and needs further research.
Privacy Experience: Previous negative privacy experiences (e.g., data breaches) increase concern. Travelers who have been exposed to privacy issues are more sensitive to potential data security risks.
Privacy Knowledge: Higher knowledge of privacy practices and policies, listed as knowledge of data protection laws, increases concern. Travelers who are knowledgeable are more aware of potential risks to their privacy.
*Macro Factors:
Perception of Privacy Regulations: Travelers’ awareness of government privacy regulations in turn affects privacy concerns. Strong privacy laws make travelers feel safer, reducing privacy concerns.
The main factors influencing tourists’ privacy concerns are privacy awareness and privacy experience. The major factors influencing tourists’ willingness to share information are trust, perceived benefits, and privacy concerns.
In addition, policymakers should build tourists’ trust by developing and enforcing clear and understandable privacy policies to minimize the negative impact of privacy concerns. Furthermore, tourists tend to connect with suppliers whose values are similar to theirs in addition to those tourists with strong trust and loyalty will be willing to share personal information with trusted brands.
In addition, the results indicated that “privacy experience affects tourists’ privacy concerns, which, in turn, lead to their willingness to share information”. An alternative is to develop privacy-enhancing applications as standalone or add-on software where consumers assess the risk of service providers (i.e. whether they are dangerous or trustworthy), deciding how much and what kind of personal information they are willing to share.
Solutions to ensure privacy and to increase traveler data-sharing behavior
Transparency in data collection and processing: Businesses need to be transparent and clear concerning the types of data collected, the purposes for which it is used, and the length of time it is stored. This gives customers more peace of mind and builds trust, encouraging them to share necessary information.
Giving customers control: When customers have control over their personal information, listed as the right to delete or to edit information, they tend to share data more openly. This creates a sense of security and increases the level of trust in businesses.
Ensuring information security through high-security technology: Businesses should invest in modern security technology listed as data encryption and monitoring systems to protect customer information. In addition, compliance with international data protection regulations (like GDPR) helps businesses achieve higher reputations.
Educating and raising awareness regarding privacy among customers: Communication campaigns that explain security measures and customers’ rights in protecting personal data help customers feel more secure, encouraging them to share information.
Organizations should increase efforts to enhance current personalization programs as well as to create new and innovative ones. According to a recent study, 57% of travelers agreed that businesses should personalize information and personalize interactions based on personal expectations and previous habits, in which, 36% expected to pay more for personalized services. From this statistics, there is clearly a strong demand for more personalized and meaningful experiences. When travelers plan a vacation, for example, there are thousands of options for flights or accommodations; location searches based on budget, favorite services, and personal preferences will easily balance consumers’ specific desires and can provide significant value. Personalized recommendations, listed as informative itineraries based on recent activity, search history, and personal preferences, can add value, demonstrating that you care about their needs by providing personalized offers, rewards, or promotions based on their interests, location, job title, and previous use of your services.
Finally, lawmakers should develop policies to protect people’s privacy, with reasonable penalties so that people can trust and be willing to share personal information.
This study has provided insight into the impact of privacy concerns on data data-sharing behavior of travelers in Vietnam. Building trust through data protection measures not only helps improve customer experience but is also a key factor in helping the tourism industry develop sustainably. With the strong development of technology and the need for personalized services, ensuring privacy is a solid foundation for a safe and reputable tourism ecosystem.
The full-text article THE IMPACT OF PRIVACY CONCERNS ON TOURISTS’ DATA-SHARING BEHAVIORS: THE CASE OF VIETNAM can be accessed HERE.
Authors: Dr. Dinh Tien Minh, Nguyen Thi Hong Tuoi, Nguyen Le Nhat Minh – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City.
This article is part of the series spreading research and applied knowledge from UEH with the message “Research Contribution For All”. UEH cordially invites readers to wait for the next UEH Research Insights issue.
News, photos: The Authors, UEH Department of Communications and Partnership

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