Factors Affecting Tourists’ Intention to Use Smart Tourism Services in Vietnam

Abstract

This research examines the determinants of tourists’ intention to use smart tourism services in Vietnam in the context of post-pandemic recovery, accelerated destination digital transformation, and the growing deployment of data-driven visitor platforms. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, Trust-Risk Theory, and Information Systems Success Theory, the paper proposes an integrated regression model in which perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, smart service quality, facilitating conditions, digital literacy, subjective norm, and perceived risk explain tourists’ intention to use smart tourism services. The proposed empirical design employs a quantitative survey of domestic and international tourists who have experience with digital tourism touchpoints, including destination applications, online booking, e-ticketing, digital maps, cashless payment, artificial-intelligence-enabled recommendations, and travel information portals. Perceived usefulness, trust, smart service quality, perceived ease of use, and subjective norm have the strongest positive effects, whereas perceived risk has a significant negative effect. The findings suggest that Vietnam’s smart tourism agenda should prioritize trustworthy digital ecosystems, integrated data infrastructure, visitor-centric service design, and digital inclusion.