Developing a Sustainable Competitiveness Model in The Spa Tourism Sector: An Empirical Study of Vietnam Destinations

Abstract

Sustainable competitiveness has generated tourism researchers’ interest in the spa tourism sector. There is, however, a lack of preceding studies identifying and revising significant determinants and attributes into competitiveness models of spa tourism enterprises. This research will fill this gap by developing a more comprehensive sustainable competitiveness model using Vietnam as an empirical study, considering resilience and innovation. A mixed-method approach is applied to test the conceptual model and establish the sustainable competitiveness model. The research will theoretically contribute to developing a holistic, sustainable spa tourism competitiveness model, including resilience and innovation factors. The empirical results will enable a better understanding of the impacts of resilience, innovation, and other attractive factors on enterprises’ competitiveness in the spa tourism context. These will help spa-center management to develop effective policies and strategies.