[Research Contribution] Sustainable Tourism from a Behavioral Perspective: When Destination Choice Becomes an Ethical Pre-Trip Decision

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.