Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School

College of Science and Mathematics

Department/Program

Earth and Environmental Studies

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Pankaj Lal

Committee Member

Ram Sewak Dubey

Committee Member

Yawei Wang

Committee Member

Dileep K. Birur

Committee Member

Andres Susaeta Larrain

Abstract

Tourism plays a key role in the economic growth of developing countries, yet it also generates environmental pressures and is sensitive to external shocks such as global pandemics. In Vietnam, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted tourism and hurt the economy. Therefore, growing concerns about the environment show the need for more sustainable tourism development. However, current research often looks at economic recovery, environmental effects, and tourist preferences separately, with little connection between these areas. This dissertation aims to fill these gaps by using a clear approach that combines Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modeling, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Best-Worst Choice (BWC) methods to examine the economic, environmental, and behavioral aspects of tourism in Vietnam. The first objective used a CGE model to review the effects of COVID-19 on Vietnam’s economy and assess how well domestic tourism policies work as recovery strategies. The results indicated that tourism was one of the hardest-hit sectors. Despite this, early public health measures and financial support helped reduce wider economic losses. The domestic tourism campaign “Vietnamese people travel around Vietnam” proved effective in the short term, boosting demand and offsetting some losses from international tourism. However, for long-term resilience, a more balanced approach that included both domestic and international markets was necessary, with tourism and household spending identified as crucial for recovery. The second objective utilized an LCA approach to estimate the amount of CO2 emissions and other environmental impacts associated with tourism activities in major coastal tourist destinations. The results of this analysis confirmed that Da Nang was the area with the greatest number of tourists and has the highest potential for climate-related effects, while Nha Trang and Phu Quoc also contributed heavily to other environmental impact categories such as eutrophication and resource extraction. Results showed that carbon intensity per dollar spent is more influential than total dollar amounts spent on emissions, which highlighted the importance of the different types of tourism activity. The results of this analysis can help inform targeted mitigation efforts and assist in achieving the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) - especially SDG’s 12 and 13. The last objective was a BWC framework that combined the use of Best–Worst Scaling (BWS) and Discrete Choice Experiments (DCEs) to assess tourists’ preferences and willingness to pay for sustainable vacation packages. Findings showed that both domestic and international tourists prefer sustainable attributes when making purchasing decisions for their holidays, with domestic tourists being considerably more likely to pay extra for these attributes. Sustainable characteristics, including environmentally friendly practices and environmental educational activities, would increase the attractiveness of a destination and potentially result in better environmental and economic outcomes. Overall, this dissertation provides an integrated, policy-relevant framework that links economic assessment, environmental sustainability, and tourists’ behavior in one analytical structure. The findings yield practical insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders who promote resilient, low-carbon, and economically sustainable tourism in Vietnam and similar developing countries.

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