[Research Contribution] Sustainable Tourism from a Behavioral Perspective: When Destination Choice Becomes an Ethical Pre-Trip Decision
14 August, 2026
Keywords: Sustainable tourism; Ethical tourist behavior; Destination social responsibility; Electronic word-of-mouth; Responsible tourism; Sustainable communication
Sustainable tourism is not determined solely by how tourists behave upon arrival at a destination; it begins earlier—at the very moment they choose where to go. In a context where many destinations continue to face overtourism, pollution, and conflict with local communities, a team of researchers from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has approached sustainable tourism from the perspective of pre-trip behavior. Their study, published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, developed the “Ethically Minded Tourist Behavior” (EMTB) scale, designed to measure and promote responsible destination choices, thereby contributing to a more practical orientation toward sustainable tourism.
Tourism generates economic growth and fosters cultural connections, but it also entails increasingly evident consequences, including overtourism, ecological degradation, pressure on infrastructure, and the erosion of local identity. Although sustainable tourism is receiving growing attention and media coverage, tourist behavior has yet to undergo a commensurate transformation.
The figures cited in the study clearly illustrate this gap. In 2016, only 42% of travelers prioritized sustainability factors; by 2025, over 90% indicated their intention to prioritize sustainable tourism. Some 39% of travelers expressed a desire to travel off-season, and 36% were willing to choose alternative destinations to avoid overcrowding. However, in 2024, among the 92% who stated an interest in sustainable tourism, only half translated that interest into actual action.
This gap between “intention” and “action” suggests that travelers are not lacking goodwill; rather, they require a more concrete action framework and clearer measurement tools to transform their concern for sustainability into tangible choices throughout their travel journey.
From a research gap to the ethical tourist behavior scale
In many previous studies, ethical tourist behavior was typically measured during or after the trip—for instance, whether tourists littered, respected local culture, or conserved resources. However, many impacts on sustainability are shaped from the moment tourists begin planning: choosing a destination suffering from overtourism due to its popularity; bypassing a lesser-known but more sustainable alternative; or being willing to pay more to support a responsible choice.
From this, the research team identified a critical gap: no dedicated scale existed to assess ethical tourist behavior in the pre-trip stage. The study developed and validated the Ethically Minded Tourist Behavior (EMTB) scale to clarify how tourists integrate environmental and social responsibility considerations into their destination choice decisions.
What does the Ethically Minded Tourist Behavior (EMTB) scale measure?
The EMTB scale was developed to measure pre-trip behavior through four core dimensions:
- Eco-Buy: Tourists proactively prioritize destinations that reduce negative environmental impacts and are willing to change their plans for environmental reasons.
- Eco-Boycott: Tourists refrain from choosing destinations they understand to pose a risk of environmental harm.
- DSR-Boycott: Tourists avoid destinations that demonstrate social irresponsibility, particularly steering clear of those that engage in misleading or deceptive advertising.
- Pay-More: Tourists are willing to pay a premium to support environmentally friendly and socially responsible destinations.
A notable feature of the EMTB scale is that it not only measures beliefs or attitudes but also reflects actions tourists have taken and intend to take. In doing so, the scale helps bridge the gap between “talking about sustainability” and truly “acting for sustainability.”
The impact of online reviews on destination choice decisions
The study tested its model based on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework. In this model, the stimulus is electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), encompassing online reviews and comments about destinations; the organism is tourists’ perception of destination social responsibility (DSR) formed prior to the trip; and the response is ethically minded tourist behavior (EMTB).
The study surveyed 719 respondents from various continents who were planning to travel during 2024–2025 and who regularly read online reviews related to destination social responsibility when planning their trips.
Higher Quality and More Credible Online Reviews Lead Tourists to Choose Ethical Destinations
The study identified two key components of eWOM:
- Argument Quality (AQ): Reviews that are logical, fact-based, and clearly presented.
- Source Credibility (SC): The perceived trustworthiness of the reviewer.
Results showed that both factors enhance tourists’ perception of destination social responsibility (DSR) and promote ethically minded tourist behavior (EMTB). This indicates that online reviews serve not only as references for travel experiences but also as a basis for tourists to make ethically informed decisions, provided the information is of sufficient quality and reliability.
DSR Perception as a bridge converting information into action
Another notable finding of the study is the mediating role of destination social responsibility (DSR) perception. Specifically, eWOM not only directly affects EMTB but also exerts an indirect effect by shaping tourists’ perception that a destination is socially responsible.
In other words, to promote ethical tourist behavior, a destination’s social responsibility needs to be clearly perceived by tourists as early as the pre-trip stage.
Differences in behavior between Asian and European tourists
The study also identified regional differences. For Asian travelers, eWOM factors had a stronger effect on EMTB. Conversely, for European travelers, DSR perception had a stronger effect on EMTB, and this group was also more sensitive to source credibility.
This finding suggests that sustainable tourism communication cannot adopt a standardized message for all markets. To promote ethical tourist behavior, it is essential to understand the factors that different groups of travelers value and trust when making their decisions.
From individual behavior to an ethically minded tourism flow
Beyond developing the EMTB scale, the study also proposes a practical implementation framework – the Ethically Minded Tourist Flow Framework. This framework describes a self-reinforcing loop:
(1) Tourists at a destination experience “socially responsible” activities → (2) They share their experiences through online reviews (eWOM) → (3) Other tourists access these reviews and form a positive perception of the destination’s social responsibility (DSR) → (4) This activates ethical destination choice behavior (EMTB) → the loop continues.
To operationalize this loop, the study proposes three implementation phases.
Phase 1: Generating online reviews from socially responsible destination experiences
Destinations not only need to implement sustainable activities but also design them so that tourists can see, participate in, and share these activities. Accordingly, destinations can create interactive and shareable experiences; make sustainability evidence visible so that tourists can photograph and document it; and encourage sharing during the experience itself.
Phase 2: Promoting EMTB through ethical decision-making guidance for travelers
The study provides a three-step guide for travelers to apply when choosing destinations:
Step 1 – Read reviews selectively: Prioritize reviews with depth, facts, and evidence; avoid relying on purely subjective assessments.
Step 2 – Compare information: Cross-reference multiple sources, including other travelers, local communities, official channels, and sustainability organizations.
Step 3 – Verify: Do not rely solely on advertising; verify information through standardized and transparent sources.
Accompanying this is a set of self-assessment questions to help travelers consider ethical factors before making decisions: Is this destination facing any social or environmental issues? Am I inadvertently contributing to overtourism? Am I willing to pay more for a more responsible choice? After verifying the information, do I still want to go there?
Phase 3: Turning intentions into actual choices through collaboration among platforms, businesses, and management
The study emphasizes the collaborative role of stakeholders within the tourism ecosystem.
Online review platforms and booking platforms can prioritize displaying high-quality reviews; verify users to enhance source credibility; suggest “responsible destination lists”; and create quick self-assessment tools to activate EMTB.
Destination management organizations can publicize sustainability data in an accessible manner; share authentic sustainability stories; and create visual evidence at the destination itself.
Local communities and local businesses can share real-life stories; update progress, challenges, and sustainability efforts; thereby providing tourists with perspectives beyond promotional content.
Sustainable tourism begins with the journey of choice
The study underscores an important message: Sustainable tourism begins with the journey of choice, not only when the tourist has already arrived.
The development of the Ethically Minded Tourist Behavior (EMTB) scale enables more precise measurement of how tourists incorporate ethical considerations into their destination choices, while also opening a new avenue for sustainable tourism management: influencing decisions at the pre-trip stage—where tourist choices can contribute to reducing overtourism, alleviating environmental pressure, and creating opportunities for more sustainable destination development.
More importantly, the study does not stop at developing a measurement scale but also proposes a flow framework for promoting ethical tourist behavior, a structured decision-making guide for travelers, and collaborative recommendations involving policy, platforms, businesses, and communities.
In the context of global tourism shifting strongly toward responsibility, EMTB offers an approach to transform tourist concern into tangible choices, thereby contributing to a more sustainable, equitable, and humane future for tourism.
Authors: Tran Thi Kim Phuong & Nguyen Dong Phong – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City
This article is part of the Knowledge Dissemination Series from UEH, conveying the message “Research Contribution For All.” UEH respectfully invites readers to stay tuned for the next edition of the UEH Research Insights newsletter.
News, photos: Authors, Department of Communications and Partnerships
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