Storytelling in heritage tourism for sustainable development: enriching visitor experiences in Vietnam’s heritage destinations

Abstract

This study examines the role of storytelling in enhancing visitor experiences and perceived value within heritage tourism contexts in Vietnam. Drawing upon an integrated theoretical framework encompassing experience economy theory, authenticity, and value co-creation, the research investigates how multiple storytelling dimensions influence heritage experience and its subsequent impact on overall positive value. A quantitative survey of 467 visitors to Vietnamese heritage sites was conducted, and the data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).

The findings reveal that interactive technologies (? = 0.299) and co-creation (? = 0.225) exert the strongest positive effects on heritage experience, followed by authenticity (? = 0.195), genuineness (? = 0.193), novelty (? = 0.139), knowledge and learning, and enjoyment. Furthermore, heritage experience significantly predicts overall positive value (? = 0.436). The structural model explains 51.1% of the variance in heritage experience and 19.0% in perceived value, indicating satisfactory explanatory power.

This research contributes to the heritage tourism literature by empirically validating a multidimensional storytelling framework in an emerging destination context. Practically, the results highlight the importance of integrating participatory storytelling and digital interaction to strengthen visitor engagement and support sustainable heritage tourism development.