Social integration and psychological motives of digital nomads driving sustainable tourism: A comparative study of Vietnam and Taiwan

Abstract

Acknowledging the contribution of digital nomads to sustainable tourism in host destinations, this study aims to identify factors influencing this behavior in emerging markets. By applying the theories of stimulus-organism-response and self-determination, a framework is developed to explore sustainable tourism support for digital nomads through a multimethod approach. At the qualitative stage, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 16 digital nomads. These interviews helped identify key dimensions of social integration and psychological motives influencing engagement and support for tourism destinations. At the quantitative stage, a web-based survey was administered in Taiwan (N = 385) and Vietnam (N = 404). Partial least squares structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis were used to examine the theoretical framework. The findings reveal that social integration and psychological motives serve as the stimulus and organism. Social integration fosters a sense of relatedness among digital nomads in Taiwan, while strengthening autonomy in Vietnam.