Moral norms and consumer innovativeness independently explain sustainable tourism behavior among Vietnamese Generation Z

Sustainable tourism represents a critical pathway toward SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), yet behavioral interventions remain constrained by incomplete understanding of motivational mechanisms. Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory typically explains only 29–40% of sustainable tourism behavior variance, suggesting non-moral pathways warrant investigation. This study examined whether consumer innovativeness operates as an independent experiential pathway alongside a VBN-inspired moral pathway among Vietnamese Generation Z tourists. Cross-sectional survey data from 302 Vietnamese Generation Z tourists (recorded in an 18–30 age band) were analyzed using structural equation modeling with robust maximum likelihood estimation. An eight-factor measurement model comprising 33 indicators across eight constructs was evaluated. All nine hypothesized paths were tested in a full structural model, and a dual-pathway specification integrating the VBN-inspired moral chain with consumer innovativeness was compared against a VBN-only model. Eight of nine hypotheses were supported. Environmental awareness was positively associated with all three value orientations, with biospheric values showing the strongest association (β = 0.786, p < 0.001). The moral pathway was consistent with a sequential pattern: biospheric values predicted ecological worldview (β = 0.645, p < 0.001), which predicted personal norms (β = 0.472, p < 0.001), which predicted sustainable behavior (β = 0.491, p < 0.001). Consumer innovativeness independently predicted behavior (β = 0.211, p = 0.002), contributing 2.3 percentage points of additional explained variance (f 2 = 0.032, small effect). Egoistic values did not significantly predict ecological worldview (β = 0.071, p = 0.328). Multi-group analysis and latent interaction tests indicated no moderation, suggesting the two pathways operate independently. Common latent factor analysis confirmed minimal common method bias. Sustainable tourism behavior among Vietnamese Gen Z appears to emerge through independent moral and experiential pathways. These findings suggest that dual-messaging approaches combining environmental education with innovation-focused appeals may warrant investigation for sustainable tourism governance in emerging markets.