Stakeholder influence in sustainable tourism under digital transformation through an integrated Delphi, AHP and DEMATEL framework

This study examines stakeholder influence in Vietnam’s national sustainable tourism governance system under digital transformation. Although stakeholder roles are widely recognized, limited research has distinguished perceived importance from expert-assessed directional influence within digitally mediated governance systems. Drawing on judgments from 18 Vietnamese experts, the study integrates a two-round Delphi process to validate six stakeholder groups and twelve sub-factors, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to estimate their relative importance, and the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) to assess directional interdependencies among the six stakeholder groups. The results reveal a notable divergence between stakeholder importance and directional influence. Central Government ranks first in AHP and occupies the strongest net-influencing position. Tourism Enterprises rank second and exhibit the highest systemic prominence but occupy an effect-oriented position, indicating high systemic involvement while receiving more overall influence than they exert. Knowledge and Research Institutions receive the lowest AHP weight yet occupy a net-influencing position. Local Government is also classified within the net-influencing group, whereas Local Communities and Tourists occupy effect-oriented positions. These findings demonstrate that stakeholder importance, systemic prominence, and net influence do not necessarily coincide. The study extends stakeholder salience research by incorporating a relational, system-level perspective and conceptualizes digital transformation as a governance-embedded coordination mechanism rather than an autonomous driver of sustainability. It provides policy-relevant insights for strengthening institutional coordination, knowledge support, stakeholder participation, and sustainable tourism governance.