Adapting Environmental Conditions for Sustainable Ecotourism Development: Evidence from the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve, Vietnam
Abstract
Sustainable ecotourism represents a vital strategy for harmonizing biodiversity conservation with socio-economic development, particularly within nature-based destinations in developing countries. This study explores the impact of environmental conditions on sustainable ecotourism development in the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve, Vietnam. Using a combination of exploratory factor analysis (EFA), logistic regression, and SWOT analysis, the research identifies key environmental factors that influence tourists' revisit intentions and long-term sustainability. The EFA results highlight three main dimension environmental management, environmental quality, and biodiversity and landscape integrity. Environmental management emerged as the most influential factor. The logistic regression confirmed that environmental management (β = 1.536, p = 0.029) has the strongest impact on revisit intention, followed by environmental quality (β = 1.024, p = 0.039) and biodiversity (β = 0.425, p = 0.342). The study underscores the importance of adaptive management strategies that address climate change, pollution, and visitor overcrowding to enhance sustainability. This research offers a framework for improving adaptive capacity in ecotourism management and ensuring the long-term resilience of the reserve.
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