Behavioural innovation in sustainable tourism: The role of personal norms and social media among Generation Z

Sustainable tourism increasingly requires innovative approaches to shaping tourist behaviour, particularly among younger generations who are strongly influenced by social and digital environments. This study investigates behavioural innovation in sustainable tourism by examining the psychological and social mechanisms that drive responsible travel behaviour among Generation Z. Grounded in the Normative Activation Model and Social Norm Theory, the study analyses the effects of awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, personal norms, social media engagement, and online community involvement on sustainable tourism behaviour. Quantitative data were collected from 297 Generation Z tourists in Ho Chi Minh City and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that ascription of responsibility and personal norms are the strongest predictors of sustainable tourism behaviour, underscoring the central role of internalised moral regulation in behavioural innovation. Social media engagement and online community involvement also exert significant, albeit more moderate, influences, highlighting the supporting role of digital and social innovation in shaping tourism behaviour. This study contributes to the sustainable tourism literature by empirically conceptualising behavioural innovation as an outcome of the interaction between internal normative mechanisms and digitally mediated social influences among Generation Z in an emerging urban destination. Practical implications are provided for tourism managers and policymakers aiming to design innovative strategies that promote responsible behaviour among young travellers.