Impact of Destination Linkage on Tourist Satisfaction and Sustainable Tourism Development: A Study in Nghệ An, Vietnam

Sustainable tourism development is now a core strategic orientation in the context of globalization and digital transformation.In Nghệ An province, although endowed with abundant natural and cultural resources, tourism performance has not met expectations due to limited destination linkage, resulting in inconsistent visitor experiences and low added value.This study aims to examine the causal relationships between Destination Linkage (DL), Tourist Satisfaction (TS), and Sustainable Tourism Development (STDP) using a PLS-SEM model.A survey of 300 valid questionnaires was conducted with standardized instruments capturing tourists' perceptions and behaviors in Nghệ An.The PLS-SEM results show that DL has a positive and statistically significant impact on TS (β = 0.68) and an indirect effect on STDP (β = 0.40).The model explains 61% of the variance in STDP and demonstrates high reliability and predictive power (R² > 0.50; SRMR < 0.08).The findings reinforce Destination Network Theory and demonstrate the effectiveness of combining PLS-SEM with Social Network Analysis (SNA) in regional tourism research.Practically, the results provide a foundation for policies to strengthen inter-regional coordination, promote public-private partnerships, and enhance digital governance capacity, thereby guiding Nghệ An's tourism development towards sustainability and international integration.