Residents’ tourism citizenship behaviours in cruise tourism: a qualitative study of an emerging destination, Vietnam

Residents’ behavioural support is increasingly recognised as a critical factor in the sustainable development of cruise tourism, yet empirical understanding of how such support is enacted at the behavioural level remains limited. This study explores and conceptualises residents’ tourism citizenship behaviours in the context of cruise tourism. Adopting a qualitative research design, data were collected through six focus group discussions with local residents in Ho Chi Minh City – an emerging cruise destination in Southeast Asia – conducted before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis identified six key dimensions, which are further organised into three higher-order categories: destination promotion (recommending behaviour and word-of-mouth communication), participatory engagement (engagement in tourism-related activities and foreign-language learning), and supportive citizenship behaviours (pro-environmental and voluntary helping actions). The findings demonstrate that residents’ support extends beyond attitudinal endorsement to include proactive, discretionary, and sustainability-oriented actions that enhance cruise tourist experiences and destination image. Notably, previously underexplored behaviours – such as foreign-language learning, pro-environmental actions, and voluntary assistance – emerge as salient forms of behavioural support. This study advances a behavioural perspective on residents’ support and offers practical insights for fostering community engagement and sustainable cruise tourism development.