Green innovation and digital technology as drivers of hotel financial performance in Vietnam

Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractThe growing pressure to operate sustainably has pushed many hotels in emerging markets, including Vietnam, to rethink how innovation and digital technology contribute to their financial performance. This study explores the extent to which a strategic focus on green innovation and the adoption of digital tools shape hotel financial outcomes, and whether these effects occur through the way environmental information is collected, managed, and used. Environmental leadership was also considered as a possible factor that might strengthen these relationships.A survey of 243 hotel managers in major Vietnamese cities provided the empirical basis for the analysis. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, the study finds that a clear strategic commitment to green innovation encourages hotels to engage more deeply in environmental information practices, particularly in proactive information gathering. This proactive behavior shows the strongest link with improved financial performance (β = 0.444, p < 0.001). By contrast, information transparency and formal reporting procedures produce weaker or inconsistent effects. The moderating influence of environmental leadership was not supported, implying that leadership and strategic orientation operate in parallel rather than amplifying one another.These results suggest that hotels benefit most when they actively seek and use environmental intelligence, rather than relying solely on compliance-oriented reporting systems. Proactive green information management appears to be the critical mechanism through which sustainability-focused strategies translate into financial gains.AcknowledgmentThe authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the participating hotels in Vietnam’s hospitality industry for their valuable cooperation and insights, which made this study possible. We also acknowledge the academic support provided by Faculty of Marketing, University of Finance – Marketing, and we are grateful to colleagues who offered constructive feedback during the development of this research.