An exploration of the potential for sustainable tourism development on selected Vietnamese islands

Vietnam has more than 3,000 islands, which usually have well-preserved natural environments and rich intangible cultural traditions. However, due to the lack of adequate infrastructure, research and related literature, the exploitation of island tourism in Vietnam to date still has not realized its potential. Additionally, the study of island cultures, is still an emerging field in Vietnam. The study, therefore, aims to overcome the research gap identified above by presenting the concept of Vietnamese island cultures. This study also identifies cultural facets of Vietnam’s islands that can be developed as tourism attractions and products; and illustrates how combining these with other tourism products allows for a model for the development of sustainable tourism on three of case study islands and Vietnam’s islands in general.