Current Issues in Tourism

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Publication of non-native-English-speaking
tourism researchers in international journals:
findings from Vietnam

Hoang Van Nguyen, Tuyen Dai Quang, Tan Vo-Thanh, Thi Cam Tran, Thach
Ngoc. Thanh- Nguyen & Nhan Thong Tang

To cite this article: Hoang Van Nguyen, Tuyen Dai Quang, Tan Vo-Thanh, Thi Cam Tran,
Thach Ngoc. Thanh- Nguyen & Nhan Thong Tang (2023): Publication of non-native-English-
speaking tourism researchers in international journals: findings from Vietnam, Current Issues
in Tourism, DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2023.2214352

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2023.2214352

Published online: 29 May 2023.

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CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM
https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2023.2214352

Publication of non-native-English-speaking tourism researchers

in international journals: findings from Vietnam
Hoang Van Nguyen a, Tuyen Dai Quang b, Tan Vo-Thanh c
, Thi Cam Trand,
Thach Ngoc. Thanh- Nguyene and Nhan Thong Tanga
a
Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, HUTECH University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; bFaculty of
Tourism and Creative Communication, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; cDepartment of
Marketing, Excelia Business School, CEREGE (UR 13564), La Rochelle, France; dFaculty of Cultural Industries, Thu Dau
Mot University, Thu Dau Mot, Vietnam; eFaculty of Tourism, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

This study investigates the current state of international publications in Received 3 November 2022
the field of tourism by non-native-English-speaking Vietnamese Accepted 7 May 2023
researchers and identifies the challenges and solutions regarding
KEYWORDS
scientific research and international publications. A mixed-method Non-native-English speakers;
approach was employed, including a systematic review of data challenges; solutions;
collected from the Scimago Institutions Rankings system, a focus group, university ranking;
and semi-structured interviews with 25 respondents. While the number international publication;
of publications by Vietnamese researchers has increased in recent years, Vietnam
the majority of these papers rely on ‘overseas factors’ such as
authorship, geographic location, and educational background. Our
findings from the interviews revealed several barriers to scientific
research and international publications, including insufficient
knowledge and skills, time constraints, motivation, language proficiency,
and limited financial resources. The proposed solutions from the
interviewees suggest that additional time and funding for research are
crucial to improve the state of international publications among
Vietnamese researchers. This study addresses the knowledge gap by
providing an overview of the international publication in a
disadvantaged academic context and adding the voice of non-native-
English-speaking researchers, which are essential to promoting their
international publications in the tourism field, yet neglected by the
current literature.

1. Introduction
In recent decades, academic publishing has become an important tool for knowledge dissemination
and an institutional requirement for affiliated researchers at many universities worldwide (Amutu-
haire, 2022; Salager-Meyer, 2008). In addition, international publishing has also become a key
factor in evaluating the quality and ranking of the universities (Guerin, 2016; Robinson-Garcia
et al., 2019). However, previous studies have shown that international publishing is dominated in
higher education institutions in developed countries, with limited representation from less-devel-
oped countries (Adu-Ampong & Mensah, 2021; Mura et al., 2017; Salager-Meyer, 2008; Shamsi &
Osam, 2022).
In the field of tourism, the researchers’ community is small in number, with researchers coming
from different disciplines (Correia & Kozak, 2022). However, the publication of non-native-English

CONTACT Tuyen Dai Quang qdtuyen@ntt.edu.vn, quangdaituyen@gmail.com

© 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
2 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

speakers in the field remains under-explored, with most tourism studies primarily focusing on
English-speaking regions (Ballantyne et al., 2009; McKercher et al., 2006; Mura et al., 2017; Xiao &
Smith, 2006). The difference in language can create gaps among the different academic systems,
and non-native-English speakers may face linguistic and institutional difficulties when attempting
to publish their research in English. Despite these challenges, non-native English speakers strive
to publish in English to gain international visibility. In contrast, only in some cases, native-English-
speaking scholars infrequently share their research production in other languages (e.g. Mandarin
or Spanish) (Dann, 2011).
While some efforts have been made by English-speaking countries to broaden knowledge sharing
to academic communities in other regions of the world, such as the initiative of publishing in the
Annals of Tourism Research in Spanish from 1999 to 2009. Likewise, Tourism Geographies and
Tourism Review, among some journals, include abstracts in several languages (Mura et al., 2017).
Despite such efforts, it is essential to examine how non-native English speakers, particularly those
in developing countries communicate their research production with the academic world.
In recent years, although English is seen as the lingua franca for most academics, there is still a gap
between the North and the South, especially in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of international pub-
lications. Despite some progress, the international publication of non-native-English-speaking
tourism researchers remains limited. Previous research has examined tourism knowledge production
in non-native-English-speaking countries, such as France, Iran, and Italy (Mura et al., 2017). However,
the current literature has not thoroughly examined the barriers and challenges faced by tourism and
hospitality researchers in non-native-English-speaking and developing countries when it comes to
international publication, nor has it addressed how to reduce the gap in hospitality and tourism
knowledge production between non-native-English-speaking and English-speaking systems.
Richards et al. (2022) recently examined an exploratory review of non-English researchers in
several languages (i.e. Arabic, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Slovenian, and Spanish)
in the field of event management and found a ‘missing body of knowledge’ for researchers
working in English. However, only 10% of these non-English sources are covered by Scopus, limiting
their accessibility to a global audience. Therefore, concerns about increasing the visibility and rep-
resentation of hospitality and tourism scholars from ‘outlying’ systems are critical for creating a
more inclusive academic community that encompasses various epistemologies, languages, and cul-
tures (Mura et al., 2017). Assessing the state of hospitality and tourism knowledge creation in various
systems can provide scholars with a greater comprehension of the local and global power structures
that shape knowledge production and representation.
The hospitality and tourism research production has been dominated by the English-speaking
world, and previous studies have only scratched the surface of examining the challenges faced by
non-native-English-speaking researchers in conducting research and publishing internationally.
While recent research by Richards et al. (2022) has highlighted the limited accessibility of non-
English sources, there is still a large gap in understanding the barriers faced by non-native-English
speaking researchers in developing countries. This gap is particularly evident in the case of
Vietnam, where the state of international publications by Vietnamese researchers in the field of
tourism remains unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap by investigating the current
state of international publications by Vietnamese researchers as non-native-English-speaking
researchers in a developing country in the field of tourism and hospitality. The study also seeks to
identify the difficulties and challenges faced by Vietnamese tourism and hospitality researchers in
doing research and publishing internationally. Moreover, the study explores ways to narrow the
gap in international publication in the tourism field between the North and the South.
This present study contributes to the literature in several ways. Firstly, it provides a comprehen-
sive overview of the publication practices of Vietnamese researchers in the tourism field, offering
scholars and academic institutions an in-depth understanding of the issue. Secondly, it amplifies
the voice of non-native-English speaking researchers, especially those from disadvantaged academic
systems, which are often overlooked in previous studies. This is important as Amano et al. (2021)’s
 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 3

study suggested that one of the best ways to narrow the language gap in academic publication and
knowledge is to include the voice of international researchers. Thirdly, this research offers actionable
recommendations to enhance the visibility and representation of tourism research from the non-
English speaking world. Finally, the study employs a mix-methods approach, using a systematic
review, a focus group, and twenty-five semi-structured interviews, providing a more vivid and
nuanced picture of international publication practices in a disadvantaged academic system.
Overall, this study seeks to shed light on the challenges faced by non-native-English-speaking
researchers in developing countries and to contribute to a more inclusive and diverse academic
community in the tourism and hospitality field.

2. Literature review
The role of educators in higher education is crucial, not only in educating students but also in gen-
erating knowledge and performing community service. However, the expectation that academics
must ‘publish or perish’ has become overemphasized and widely discussed in higher education insti-
tutions worldwide (Cohen et al., 2018; Ertaş & Kozak, 2020; Yankholmes, 2014). Research publication
helps to keep the staff, particularly those in universities, constantly engaged with relevant knowl-
edge works in their fields of expertise. Based on this point of view, research publication is the
most critical factor related to getting employed, promoted, acknowledged, awarded, retained, or
not hired regarding the individuals’ performance in higher education institutions (Amutuhaire,
2022). Furthermore, this also really matters for the ranking of universities based on publication per-
formance (Guerin, 2016; Hall, 2011). Thus, research publication plays an essential role for both indi-
viduals and many institutions around the world.
However, language barriers hinder publishing in prestigious international journals in non-native-
English-speaking researchers. Luo and Hyland (2019) highlight the potential importance and useful-
ness of transcription and translation services to aid authors in publishing their research. Such
support could improve competitiveness and knowledge dissemination among scholars in non-
native-English-speaking countries. TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) may
also play a role in addressing language-related difficulties faced by scholars, as reported by Flower-
dew (2000). Despite the potential solutions proposed by Luo and Hyland (2019) and Flowerdew
(2000), the Impact Factor’s relationship to language use and publication strategies for authors
and editors from non-English-speaking countries may still limit non-English authors and scientific
journals (González-Alcaide et al., 2012). Moreover, non-English-speaking countries are still excluded
from scientific literature (Bahji et al., 2023). Therefore, addiction journals and publishers need to
encourage non-English speakers to publish in their native languages, enhance translation service
support, possibly adopt bilingual publications, and enable publications in non-English-speaking
countries to be cited more easily and fairly.
Research has been conducted on the publication of non-native-English-speaking scholars, par-
ticularly in the field of tourism research (Amutuhaire, 2022; Aramberri, 2018; Mura et al., 2017;
Shamsi & Osam, 2022). However, such research is limited to specific contexts and may not reflect
the perspectives of scholars in other regions. For instance, Mura et al. (2017) compared the scholarly
production between English and non-English-speaking systems and found that business-related
studies dominated socio-cultural approaches to tourism in all the systems. However, the study
only considered three non-English-speaking countries, including France, Iran, and Italy; thus, it
cannot represent other contexts in other regions like the Asia-Pacific region.
To broaden the scope of such research, regardless of the language barrier, particularly in less-
developed countries, Adu-Ampong and Mensah (2021) explored the tourism and hospitality knowl-
edge production in Ghana by reviewing and synthesizing 238 tourism and hospitality articles
authored by 520 researchers over 31 years. Their findings revealed a limited representation of Gha-
naian scholars published in top-tier tourism and hospitality journals. Although the research raised
concerns about the need and challenges of enhancing the visibility and representation of hospitality
4 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

and tourism research from the peripheries, it lacked exploring the perceptions and voices of scholars
in other contexts. Similarly, Fakfare et al. (2022) conducted a systematic review of research on Thai-
land tourism. Despite enriching knowledge about Thailand tourism in terms of emergent research
themes and the conceptualization of studies, this research did not involve the perceptions of Thai
tourism researchers, which may overlook recognizing the strengths, weaknesses, challenges, or
wants of the insiders towards a better policy in terms of international publication. Although this
study has reviewed many different aspects of knowledge creation by Thai tourism researchers
through their publications, approaching their own perceptions of international publishing would
provide a vivid picture of Thailand’s tourism research as a whole and reflect a developing country
perspective. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the perspectives of scholars in less-developed countries
on publishing their research to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue.
Although non-native English speakers prefer to publish their findings in English rather than their
own languages, several challenges for many have been occurring. Many researchers have identified
challenges, such as the lack of publication experience, strict criteria of high-impact journals, linguistic
barriers, time dedicated to research, and lack of experienced instructors’ support. For example,
Odena and Burgess (2017) and Paltridge et al. (2016) found the challenges regarding linguistic chal-
lenges, motivation, and time management skills. Similarly, the ability to write an academic paper in
English is one of the significant challenges that researchers in both non-English-speaking and
English-speaking countries have been facing, although the latter may face fewer obstacles
(Duszak & Lewkowicz, 2008; Hanauer & Englander, 2011; Pérez-Llantada, 2014). Moreover, Raitskaya
and Tikhonova (2020) pointed out the cultural barriers of non-native-English speakers in logically
and fluently communicating in English their research for international peer-reviewed journals.
In sum, publishing articles in international journals in English today is not only a requirement of
universities and research institutes to improve their ranking, but it is also necessary for many
researchers to share their publications and demonstrate their publishing capacity, particularly in
developing and non-English-speaking countries (Cohen et al., 2018). While studies have focused
on the publication challenges of non-English-speaking countries in the field of tourism (Ballantyne
et al., 2009; McKercher et al., 2006; Mura et al., 2017; Xiao & Smith, 2006), other studies have explored
this issue in various contexts, including developed countries in Europe and less-developed countries
in Africa (Adu-Ampong & Mensah, 2021; Amutuhaire, 2022; Aramberri, 2018; Mura et al., 2017;
Shamsi & Osam, 2022). Some studies have also begun to explore this issue in developing countries
(Fakfare et al., 2022) and other geographical areas in wider fields (Bahji et al., 2023; Flowerdew, 2000;
González-Alcaide et al., 2012; Luo & Hyland, 2019). However, the publications on this topic are still
very limited today. Therefore, the picture of publication challenges in many different contexts,
especially in developing Asian countries is still a large gap in the current tourism research. Thus,
understanding the difficulties and challenges of publishing in international tourism journals in devel-
oping countries, such as Vietnam, will contribute to the diverse picture of publications by researchers
in non-English-speaking countries today.

3. Methodology
This paper employed a mixed-method, which included a systematic review, a focus group, and
twenty-five semi-structured interviews. First, based on the data from Scimago Institutions Rankings
system (https://www.scimagojr.com), we found a total of 124 journals in the subject area of ‘Tourism,
leisure and hospitality management’ ranked in 2020. Then we reached the homepage of these jour-
nals to search for information relating to Vietnamese authors with keywords, including ‘Vietnam and
tourism’, ‘Vietnam tourism’, ‘Vietnamese tourism’, ‘Vietnam and hospitality’, ‘Vietnam hospitality’, ‘Viet-
namese hospitality’, ‘Vietnam and leisure’, ‘Vietnam leisure’, and ‘Vietnamese leisure’. After using the
abovementioned keywords, we found 235 papers in the first search phase. Next, we looked at the
authors’ names in the found papers. Only the papers with the names of Vietnamese researchers
(based on their family name, middle name, and given name with some common family names
 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 5

used in their publications such as Nguyen, Tran, Le, Pham, Vo, Bui, etc.), regardless of their affiliations,
were selected for analysis. Article titles and author details (author email address, author name, and
author affiliation) were first examined, and then in many cases, the abstracts, keywords, and full
length of the papers were reviewed to ensure that all the papers containing the names of Vietna-
mese authors were retrieved. In the final consideration, we selected 217 relevant papers. The
searches narrowed from 2015 and continued up to the end of March 2022. We focused on articles
published from 2015 onwards, because the policies and decisions relevant to international publi-
cation and scientific research requirements and supports for Vietnamese researchers were
officially promoted that year (Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Finance, 2015).
This might positively influence the quantity and quality of scientific publications by Vietnamese
researchers in international journals. The selected papers were then analyzed in the light of the
content analysis method, which is among the most important research techniques in the social
sciences (Krippendorff, 2018). This method has been commonly used by several researchers in the
field of tourism (e.g. Nunkoo et al., 2020; Vo-Thanh & Kirova, 2018; Vo-Thanh et al., 2020; Xiao &
Smith, 2006). Each article was read and analyzed into several intended themes, such as the
number of articles ranked by Quartile (Q), authorship of published papers, authors-based country,
and the research method used in the selected papers. Figure 1 summarizes various phases of the
systematic literature review and interview process.
Second, the focus group was conducted by organizing a workshop on the publication of Vietna-
mese authors in the field of tourism, held on 27 March 2022, in Ho Chi Minh City. We announced
information about the workshop to the potential participants who were mainly tourism and hospi-
tality lecturers/researchers at the universities in Ho Chi Minh City to call for participation. Twenty of
them voluntarily participated in this workshop (i.e. focus group). Based on Krueger and Casey (2015),
the purpose of this focus group was to allow participants to express their experiences, thoughts, feel-
ings, and attitudes in a group setting, and explore group dynamics and how participants influence
each other about the difficulties, challenges, and appropriate solutions in publishing research in
international journals by Vietnamese tourism researchers. Thus, we purposely recruited Vietnamese
tourism and hospitality lecturers/researchers to gain deeper and more nuanced insights into this
issue. During this focus group, we first shared our preliminary results of the systematic review.
Then, the various questions aiming to answer our research objectives (shown in Table 1) were
raised for discussion with these 20 lecturers/researchers. The insights obtained from the focus
group are combined with those from interviews to discuss in the findings and discussion section.

Figure 1. Phases of systematic literature review and interviews process.

6 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

Table 1. Focus group questions and profiles of participants.

Questions for discussion Profiles of participants Reasons for selecting participants
What are the challenges and solutions 20 participants are Vietnamese lecturers We selected these participants for the
for international publication in the and researchers, and many graduate focus group because they are involved
tourism field? students from universities with in conducting scientific research and
What are the difficulties that you have tourism training in Ho Chi Minh City also have little published experience in
encountered when conducting the field of tourism. Therefore, the
research and publishing your papers? sharing from them provides valuable
What are the common weaknesses in information for our study.
the conducting research and
international publication of
Vietnamese researhers?
What are the solutions to support
researchers in Vietnam to conducting
research and publishing
internationally?

In addition to the focus group, to refine the insights, using the semantic saturation technique,
twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted. Using both methods (i.e. focus group and
semi-structured interviews) is, in our opinion, indispensable for two main reasons. First, semi-struc-
tured interviews are suitable for understanding people’s feelings and perspectives concerning their
social lives, which allows a better interpretation of the meanings of the findings that are not directly
measurable (Creswell, 2014; Patton, 2002). Thus, the first purpose of semi-structured interviews was
to better explore individual experiences and perspectives. Second, in collectivist societies like
Vietnam, individuals may be hesitant to express their personal experiences and thoughts freely in
the presence of others, including other informants. This is truer when it comes to talking about nega-
tive experiences, and thoughts and solutions that others might not like. Indeed, collectivist culture-
dominated individuals often tend to gain as well as avoid losing face in their social lives or groups
(Zhang et al., 2011). Considering our objectives, we employed a purposive sampling approach. Based
on our networks, we contacted the potential informants who are tourism and hospitality lecturers/
researchers at Vietnamese universities, asked for their participation, and arranged with them for
interviews. To gain deep and rich insights, we intentionally chose informants, trained in Vietnam
or abroad, who are both male and female, have different working experiences, and do not have
yet (to capture their difficulties) or have already had (to gain their challenges) international publi-
cations. In addition, the participants in semi-structured interviews are different from those in the
focus group. The interview topics (Table 2) comprised three parts: the first was used to collect
basic information; the second explored participants’ barriers and challenges in research and inter-
national publication; the third part sought to capture respondents’ suggestions on international
publication. Data from semi-structured interviews were collected from May to July 2022. The inter-
views ranged from 45 to 60 min in length and were digitally recorded. We analyzed the transcripts
manually, focusing on coding and interpreting the texts’ meaning (Kvale, 2007). Different parts of the
text were also analyzed and compared in relation to the whole and the whole in relation to other
parts to find similarities and differences (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). The authors assigned words,

Table 2. Interview topics and questions.

Part 1: Respondents’ basic information
Part 2: Respondents’ barriers and challenges in
research and international publication
Part 3: Respondents’ suggestions on international
publication
Name, sex, age, degree, country of education, working experience,
publication
Please share the difficulties and challenges in the international publication
from yourself and from the institutions where you are working (e.g.
research skills, time management, financial support, motivation,
requirements/research policy from your institutions)
Please share your opinion about solutions/suggestions related to the issue
of promoting international publication in the field of tourism (e.g.
solutions from yourself and from your working place)
 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 7

expressions, or statements describing the same phenomenon to the same theme (Kvale, 2007). To
protect the privacy of respondents, we used the respondent codes in the presentation and discus-
sion of findings.

4. Findings and discussion

Findings are presented in two parts: (1) results from the systematic review and (2) results from focus
group and semi-structured interviews (i.e. the results from the focus group are integrated and pre-
sented with the interview results).

4.1. Preliminary analysis from publications by Vietnamese researchers

4.1.1. Number of published articles ranked by Quartile (Q)
A total number of 217 papers authored by the Vietnamese were published from 2015 up to the end
of March 2022, ranging from Q1 to Q4, based on the Scimago Institutions Rankings system (Figure 2).
The highest number of articles (148) appeared in Q1, followed by Q2 (48), Q3 (16), and Q4 (2). 148
articles were published in 26 journals (Q1), of which the highest number of articles (28) were pub-
lished in Journal of Sustainable Tourism, followed by International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management (16), Current Issues in Tourism (14), and the lowest number (1) jumped into other Q1
journals such as Annals of Tourism Research, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, etc. (Figure 3). Forty-
eight articles were published in 16 journals (Q2), of which the highest number of papers (7) appeared
in International Journal of Tourism Cities, and the lowest (1) appeared in Annals of Leisure Research,
Journal of Ecotourism, etc. (Figure 4). Figures 5 and 6 provide the names of journals for Q3 and Q4
where the Vietnamese authors published their research. The results of the systematic review
suggest that Vietnamese authors are more likely to attempt to publish their knowledge production
in top-tier journals as a priority because this might bring several benefits to their academic career
(e.g. personal reputation, citation impact, funding application) as well as fulfil policies requirements
of institutions where they work for. Concretely, as mentioned, 68% of selected papers were pub-
lished in Q1 journals and 22% in Q2 journals (Figure 2). To improve their ranking, the majority of

Figure 2. Articles ranked by Quartile (n = 217).

8 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

Figure 3. Total of Q1 papers (n = 148) and journals (n = 26).

Figure 4. Total of Q2 papers (n = 48) and journals (n = 16).

universities in Vietnam incentivize researchers who publish their findings in high-impact journals.
This practice is associated with the recognition of research contributions and the allocation of
rewards.

4.1.2. Journals in which Vietnamese researchers have published their research

Out of the 124 journals indexed in Scimago in 2020, publications by Vietnamese authors were
only found in 55 journals (as indicated in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6). This suggests that there are
69 journals in the fields of tourism, leisure, and hospitality where Vietnamese researchers have
not yet published. Therefore, researchers from Vietnam may consider these 69 journals, which
cover topics such as tourism and events, sports, and education, as potential outlets for their aca-
demic papers.
 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 9

Figure 5. Total of Q3 papers (n = 16) and journals (n = 9).

Figure 6. Total of Q4 papers (n = 5) and journals (n = 4).

4.1.3. Publication by years and Scientific Journal Ranking (SJR) Quartile

Overall, the number of publications started in 2015 with 11 articles and has been increasing gradually
over the years and reached the highest number of articles in 2021 (66). The articles published in Q1 jour-
nals were consistently higher than in other Q2, Q3, and Q4 journals throughout the period 2015–March
2022 (Figure 7). This can be explained in several ways. First, Vietnamese authors, during this period, had
more opportunities to study abroad and thus learned fundamental research skills and paid more atten-
tion to international publications. Second, in the globalization era, many Vietnamese universities
boosted publications in top-tier international journals as a quality criterion for their ranking (this is dis-
cussed further in the findings of focus group and interviews). Third, the number of Vietnamese authors
working in Vietnam and overseas who have networks and collaboration with foreign scholars has
increased over the years; thus, they have more opportunities to publish their academic research in
good international journals. According to our findings from the systematic review, the top 10 Vietna-
mese authors have affiliations mostly overseas or used to study abroad.
10 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

Figure 7. Number of publications by year and SJR Quartile in the period of 2015–March 2022.

4.1.4. Authorship of published papers

Of the 217 articles examined, 90 (41.4%) were published by only Vietnamese authors, regardless of
their affiliations. The remaining 127 (58.5%) articles were co-authored by Vietnamese and foreign
authors (Figure 8). The number of papers co-authored with foreign and Vietnamese researchers
working overseas was higher than that (co)-authored by only Vietnamese researchers working in
Vietnam. This result suggests several explanations. First, Vietnamese authors working in Vietnam
themselves as non-native-English speakers face particular challenges in publishing their academic
papers in international journals, which is in line with previous research (Adu-Ampong & Mensah,
2021; Amutuhaire, 2022; Aramberri, 2018; Mura et al., 2017). Second, working and doing research
in a developing country like Vietnam, researchers lack the fundamental skills to publish their research
(this is discussed further in the findings of focus group and interviews). Third, Vietnamese authors
who pursued Ph.D. programmes and stayed to work abroad often have more motivations and
opportunities to publish their research because of the requirements of most overseas universities
before graduating or thanks to research funds for some of them. Finally, international collaboration
in research and publication can have more advantages than working alone in a developing country
where researchers sometimes lose motivation as stated by some previous studies (Kyvik & Reymert,
2017; Sooryamoorthy, 2009).

Figure 8. Authorship of the published papers.

 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 11

4.1.5. Location of Vietnamese authors

With respect to the geographic location of Vietnamese authors, overseas-based Vietnamese
researchers appear to have more published papers in all quartiles (140 instances). The main countries
from which Vietnamese authors have published their research are Australia (47 cases), Japan (15
cases), France (14 cases), China (13 cases), UK (11 cases), and New Zealand (10 cases). The authors
working in Vietnam take the second position (51 instances), followed by both in Vietnam and
outside Vietnam with 26 instances (Figure 9). This can be attributed to two main reasons. First, Viet-
namese authors who work at many overseas institutions often have more advantages in publishing
their academic papers (e.g. time, funding, and research skills). Second, English is the main language
used in the international environment (including the use of English by Vietnamese authors in their
work overseas). It is also the language of the journals considered for publication. Overall, when
looking at the authors’ profiles, we observed that a majority of the Vietnamese authors’ publications
are more likely related to ‘overseas factors’, which is related to their educational background though
the author-based location is in Vietnam (Figure 9).

4.2. Findings from focus group and interviews

4.2.1. Interviewees’ profile
Of the 25 interviewees, 14 were men (56%). Respondents’ mean age was 37.5 years, and their
working experiences ranged from 1 to 20 years, with an average of 10 years in teaching and
doing research in the tourism field. Most of them (88%) obtained a Master’s degree and were
trained in Vietnam (72%). Nine (36%) of the respondents had international publications in English
journals (Table 3).

4.2.2. Difficulties and challenges in research and international publication

When asked about the difficulties and challenges in conducting research and publishing internation-
ally, most respondents (among those who have not had international publications yet) said they
encountered many barriers related to knowledge and research skills, time constraints, motivation,
and financial resources to carry out the research. For example:
I do not have much experience in designing and conducting research as well as selecting appropriate topics of
interest in international journals. (Interviewee 05)

For the manuscript to be accepted by prestigious international journals, it is necessary to meet many high stan-
dards while not having much skills and experience in writing articles. (Interviewee 09)

Too much work at universities makes lecturers not have enough time for scientific research. (Interviewee 02)

Figure 9. Author-based country.

12 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

Table 3. Profile of interviewees.

Academic Country of Working experience International publication
No Code Age Sex degree education (Year) (Yes/No)
1 Interviewee 01 34 Female MA Vietnam 7 Yes
2 Interviewee 02 34 Female MA Overseas 2 No
3 Interviewee 03 40 Female MA Vietnam 10 Yes
4 Interviewee 04 28 Male MA Overseas 2 No
5 Interviewee 05 40 Female MA Overseas 15 No
6 Interviewee 06 40 Male MA Overseas 10 Yes
7 Interviewee 07 26 Female MA Vietnam 1 No
8 Interviewee 08 40 Male MA Vietnam 10 No
9 Interviewee 09 38 Male MA Vietnam 11 No
10 Interviewee 10 40 Male MA Overseas 10 No
11 Interviewee 11 38 Male MA Vietnam 13 No
12 Interviewee 12 41 Male MA Vietnam 17 No
13 Interviewee 13 45 Female MA Vietnam 17 No
14 Interviewee 14 33 Female MA Vietnam 9 No
15 Interviewee 15 32 Male MA Vietnam 1 No
16 Interviewee 16 47 Male MA Vietnam 9 Yes
17 Interviewee 17 46 Male MA Vietnam 5 Yes
18 Interviewee 18 34 Male MA Vietnam 9 No
19 Interviewee 19 34 Male MA Vietnam 6 Yes
20 Interviewee 20 32 Female MA Vietnam 10 No
21 Interviewee 21 39 Female MA Vietnam 14 No
22 Interviewee 22 40 Female PhD Vietnam 15 Yes
23 Interviewee 23 32 Female MA Vietnam 6 No
24 Interviewee 24 44 Male PhD Overseas 20 Yes

Lecturers are mostly “teaching machines”. The number of required teaching hours in the academic year is very
high. Therefore, it is difficult to spend time on research and publication even in Vietnam, and of course, really
difficult to make publications in international journals. (Interviewee 18)

In addition, some other difficulties mentioned by the respondents are the ability of Vietnamese
researchers to use foreign languages, especially English. Many interviewees said that incompetent
English skills are a significant barrier to accessing international articles, reading and understanding
published papers, and presenting their research results (Interviewees 02, 04).
One of the critical factors hindering the implementation of scientific research and international
publication is related to the motivational and financial factors, especially in the academic environ-
ment in a developing country like Vietnam. Evidence from some interviewees:
I myself have not really made strenuous efforts to write scientific articles because I have not found the actual
motivation. (Interviewee 15)

Completing a research paper and getting it published in a journal require both time and money. Every day, I
have to work and consult tourism development programs, but I am still not able to ensure a livelihood for
my family. Really, I can’t be in a good mood to focus on researching to publish my research in international jour-
nals, even in domestic journals. (Interviewee 14)

To encourage research and international publication activities, several Vietnamese universities are
currently implementing policies by rewarding authors who get publications in international journals
(i.e. research bonus), in addition to a fixed monthly salary. However, this type of policy has not been
very effective because the reward procedures have not been unified among administration levels
and are still quite complicated and cumbersome. Therefore, it does not encourage the majority of
researchers to publish papers in international journals at many universities, as Interviewee 01
(who has already had international publications) shared:
The award for international articles is not yet competitive compared to the policy of encouraging scientific
research of some universities. The payment process is cumbersome, and administrative procedures are compli-
cated and delayed, which does not create motivation for researchers. It took us almost 2 years to receive the
 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 13

reward. Let’s ask, what energy and enthusiasm can encourage us to write research papers for international pub-
lication? (Interviewee 01)

Universities have not yet supported “research input costs” to motivate researchers (e.g. initial costs for
fieldwork). The institutions only pay the researcher once the paper has been published. This is a major
financial barrier for the researcher. (Interviewee 18 who has not published internationally yet)

It can be said that the academic environment surrounding or regulating the institution’s research is a
factor that has a significant impact on either promoting or hindering the scientific research motiv-
ation of the interviewees. Several interviewees think that because the agency has not been regulated
yet to include scientific research in key performance indicators (KPI), so they find this unnecessary
(Interviewees 05, 07, 18, 20 – among scholars who have not published internationally yet). On the
contrary, others argue that the policy of setting scientific research hours is tough (e.g. international
publications not indexed in the Scopus/ISI system are counted as deficient research hours). The rec-
ognition of research working hours is not worth the effort and time spent by researchers; this
reduces their motivation for scientific research and international publication (Interviewee 13, 15 –
among scholars who have not published internationally yet).
Even some interviewees have little experience in international publication, their challenges also
come from research skills, but at a different level, as Interviewee 19 shared:
Although I have little experience in research and publication in international journals, publishing in high-quality
journals requires highlighting the reason for a research paper, such as a novel research topic, research gaps, and
new theoretical and practical contributions. But doing these things is too challenging. (Interviewee 19)

Interviewee 19 also asks himself how young researchers can make a living based on research alone,
not by doing many jobs simultaneously. If this can be done, the researcher can focus 100% of his
time and effort on research only.
Furthermore, Interviewees 22, 24, and 25, who have good experience in publishing papers in
international journals, also face specific challenges:
When submitting manuscripts to international journals, it usually takes a long time for the peer review process.
Still, sometimes I have to wait more than 6 months just to receive the desk rejection because the manuscript is
considered not eligible with the aim and scope of the journal. (Interviewee 22)

Even though the manuscript has been completed and sent to a suitable international journal, the reviewing
process, revision, and publication take a long time. This can last from 3 months to 1–2 years. In general,
getting an international publication is very challenging. (Interviewee 24)

To have a publication in an international journal in the field of tourism in particular and in social sciences in
general has been difficult. Additionally, sometimes, many universities in Vietnam have policies on counting
for scientific research activity, but that is unfair between the two groups of natural sciences and social sciences.
Thus, tourism researchers face challenges in fulfilling their KPI. (Interviewee 25)

Overall, the difficulties and challenges in conducting scientific research and publishing internation-
ally come from two main aspects: (1) from the researchers themselves (internal factors) and (2) from
the institutions which they are working for and the publishing procedures (external factors). The
internal factors are related to skills and time to conduct research. In contrast, the external factors
are related to the institutions to support research (e.g. research time, research finance, favourable
environment to promote motivation of Vietnamese researchers) and the publishing procedures of
international journals (e.g. low acceptance rate, the peer review process).

5. Discussion
The present study sheds light on the difficulties and challenges faced by Vietnamese researchers in
doing research and publishing their works internationally. Findings, such as the lack of publication
experience, linguistic barriers, lack of motivation and time dedicated to research, and lack of experi-
enced instructors’ support are consistent with some previous studies (Duszak & Lewkowicz, 2008;
14 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

Hanauer & Englander, 2011; Odena & Burgess, 2017; Paltridge et al., 2016; Pérez-Llantada, 2014).
Many Vietnamese researchers also face difficulties in writing in English because of the difference
in thinking and writing style between the two languages; this finding confirms the findings of pre-
vious studies (Mura et al., 2017; Raitskaya & Tikhonova, 2020).
While the current study presents valuable insights into the challenges faced by Vietnamese
researchers in publishing their research internationally, it is important to note that the issue is not
limited to Vietnamese researchers but is common for researchers from non-English-speaking
countries. As Panko (2017) noted, the dominance of English as the lingua franca of science can
make it difficult for researchers from non-English-speaking countries to access and participate in
the global scientific community. This is a systemic disadvantage rooted in colonialism and discrimi-
nation, which requires a critical examination of power structures and a nuanced understanding of
the challenges faced by researchers in different contexts. This ‘English’ barrier is similar to the
studies of McKercher et al. (2007) and Vasconcelos et al. (2007) when stating that the ‘bad
English’ of a paper is one of the reasons to be rejected. The present study contributes to this
ongoing discussion by highlighting the challenges faced by Vietnamese researchers as non-native
English-speaking ones and the need for institutional support to address these challenges.
However, the study could benefit from a more critical analysis of the power dynamics that underlie
the current system of international publication and the ways in which this system perpetuates sys-
temic inequalities. A more nuanced analysis of the specific institutional and societal factors that con-
tribute to the challenges faced by Vietnamese researchers would also be valuable in developing
effective interventions to address these challenges.
The findings of this study highlight the urgent need to address the difficulties and challenges
faced by Vietnamese researchers in publishing research articles in international English journals.
While several universities have organized seminars to discuss the barriers, the results have not
been effective as the researchers’ voices have not been heard, and their opinions have not been ade-
quately addressed. Therefore, it is essential to listen to the voice of the insiders and understand their
thoughts and aspirations to help remove the barriers and strengthen the publication of Vietnamese
researchers in international English journals.
However, the study could derive an advantage from more specific and actionable recommen-
dations for addressing the barriers to publication. For example, the study could explore strategies
for improving researchers’ publication experience and motivation, increasing instructor support,
and enhancing researchers’ language proficiency. Additionally, the study suggested ways to
promote the use of English as a second language for academic purposes and improve the quality
of scientific research and publication in Vietnam.
As a result, this study put focus on a more critical analysis of the internal and external factors that
have made scientific research and publication challenging in Vietnam. For example, the study
explored the role of government policies, funding, and infrastructures in promoting scientific
research and publication. While the study highlighted the difficulties and challenges faced by Viet-
namese researchers in publishing research articles in international English journals, it could empha-
size more specific and actionable recommendations and a more critical analysis of the broader socio-
cultural and historical contexts that shape the current state of scientific research and publication in
Vietnam. By listening to the voice of the insiders and addressing their concerns, Vietnam can
strengthen its research capacity and promote its presence in the global academic community.
In the next section, we analyze the expectations of the interviewees to untie the knots in publish-
ing international research papers.

5.1. Respondents’ suggested solutions

When asked about proposing solutions for conducting scientific research and publishing interna-
tionally, the interviewees mentioned two types of solutions, including solutions from themselves
and solutions from their working place.
 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 15

The proposals from the researcher themselves involve self-improvement of skills in conducting
research and publishing papers, self-motivation for conducting research, and spending more time
on research, as well as expanding networks and collaborations with experienced researchers.
I will improve my research capacity by self-learning and participating in courses and workshops on research,
participating in projects, and collaborating on writing articles with colleagues and researchers who have experi-
ence in research, especially in international publications. (Interviewee 01)

I need to balance my time between teaching and researching because, currently, teaching and other works take
up most of my time. (Interviewee 04)

I myself will have to learn from colleagues and collaborate with experienced colleagues to do research efficien-
tly. (Interviewee 13)

Notably, according to Interviewee 15, to motivate conducting research, it is necessary to let the
keyword ‘scientific article’ frequently appear in the mind, form a habit, and become ingrained in
the lecturer’s thoughts. Once individuals are aware of the importance to doing research and are
given more conditions from the university, they will make every effort to do research and publish
internationally. More interestingly, Interviewee 11 said that because of his lack of experience in con-
ducting research, when he has the opportunity to learn from his experienced colleagues, the prede-
cessors should not have a disparaging attitude but should encourage him to do so to avoid causing
anxiety and guilt leading to loss of interest in conducting research and publishing manuscripts for
beginners. Interviewee 11 also shared that it is indispensable to build research teams and to have
research leaders to conduct research successfully. Participating in research should also be done
step by step, from easy to complex, from sub-participation to central participation, needing a
research tutor to create conditions for young researchers to have more opportunities and skills to
conduct research, as suggested by Interviewee 10.
The above findings are consistent with previous studies that discussed the need to develop
young researchers’ career paths. A multidisciplinary collaboration beyond international boundaries
is more than ever necessary (Browning et al., 2017). Early career researchers also need to be trained in
fundamental research skills, which can lead to a research career (Browning et al., 2017). Although
some previous research (e.g. Adu-Ampong & Mensah, 2021; Fakfare et al., 2022) considered the
need to build research capacity for researchers from the peripheries (e.g. Ghana and Thailand),
they did not concern about the voice of insiders. In this study, we, thus, deeply listen to the research-
ers’ voices to carry out the issues and suggested appropriate solutions. Again, this is a crucial way to
narrow the gap in academic publication between English and non-English-speaking countries
(Amano et al., 2021).
The findings suggest that there are several solutions that can be implemented to encourage
scientific research and international publication at universities in Vietnam. The solutions proposed
by the interviewees include organizing courses on scientific research skills and the international pub-
lication, providing more time and financial support for research, expanding networks and collabor-
ations, especially with established international researchers, and reducing the load of non-specialist
tasks for lecturers so they can focus on research.
The policy to encourage scientific research and international publication at my working place needs adjustment
in many aspects. For example, it is necessary to specialize in the assignment of tasks and for lecturers to have the
right to choose the tasks according to their forte and aspirations. (Interviewee 01)

In addition, Interviewee 01 proposed solutions related to financial support (i.e. reward) so that it is
worth the time and effort the researcher has spent when they have an international publication.
Furthermore, there are many similar responses from Interviewees 02, 03, 04, and 05 related to pro-
posing solutions on time and developing skills in doing scientific research.
It is necessary to reduce the load of non-specialist tasks for lecturers, such as class management, event organiz-
ation, other administrative tasks, so lecturers can focus on improving their scientific research skills. (Interviewee 02)
16 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

Universities need to support building research skills by organizing courses on skills of scientific research/inter-
national publication. Assigning experienced and qualified academics to support inexperienced lecturers in
research is also an effective way. (Interviewee 03)

I suggest having one expert for direct supervision like the TWIN model – one-on-one as some universities in
Canada have done. By approaching this way, research skills and publication capacity can increase significantly.
(Interviewee 04)

It is needed to organize sharing sessions on scientific research at the school and providing guidelines for the
international publication process. (Interviewee 05)

Notably, Interviewee 12 suggested that universities should support researchers in terms of time and
research funding to carry out the research in the most effective way. In addition, the state (i.e. policy-
makers) also needs to create conditions for scholars to have the opportunity to participate in projects
as well as to serve the community. This proposal shows that scientific research must also contribute
to the practice and community service. This finding reinforces Kim and Karau’s (2009) study that the
lack of institutional support negatively impacts research productivity. Therefore, the role of univer-
sities should also change from equipping the learners with knowledge (e.g. teaching only) to com-
modifying knowledge by strengthening conducting research as university outputs (Shamsi & Osam,
2022). In addition, several Vietnamese universities, especially in the field of tourism, pay little atten-
tion to equipping learners with knowledge and skills to do scientific research. Evidence of that is the
absence of a subject of research method in the curriculum. Therefore, Interviewee 18 proposed that
the ‘Research method’ should be included in the training programme from the university level to
train students to have skills in writing a research report. Equipping this subject in the training pro-
gramme for students also means raising the awareness of doing research for lecturers and research-
ers working at universities.
More importantly, Interviewee 19 suggested that universities and research institutes should invite
scholars who have had international publishing experience in the field of tourism to participate in a
research project jointly (the research expenses should be funded by the universities themselves), in
which the expert will act as the first/corresponding author, the other members act as co-authors to
learn how to write and publish internationally. This way tends to reinforce the results presented
earlier: most Vietnamese authors who have had international publications have successfully collabo-
rated with foreign colleagues or Vietnamese ones trained or living overseas.
Furthermore, the recruitment of lecturers/researchers trained abroad plays a significant role in
boosting publications in top-tier international journals, which is one of the quality criteria for the
ranking of universities. These key skilled lecturers/researchers can also help their less-skilled col-
leagues to improve their research skills and motivate them to do research more effectively. Intervie-
wee 25 shared that:
Vietnamese universities should reinforce recruiting lecturers/researchers who are trained abroad and encourage
them to publish research in top-tier journals through research bonuses to improve their ranking. These qualified
lecturers/researchers, by their performance and qualification, can also be a source of inspiration for less-qualified
researchers and help them improve their research skills.

Generally, among the solutions proposed by the interviewees, the solution regarding time and
funding for research plays the most crucial role. Again, several interviewees covered this issue:
Research funding and full-time support are needed so that researchers can put their full effort into doing
research and, most importantly, live as research professionals. (Interviewees 24)

Financial support for data collection, seminars, editing, and proofreading is vital. There should be incentive and
reward policies from the universities for international publications. (Interviewees 25)

The above comments from interviewees show that the academic environment in Vietnam in general,
and at universities offering tourism training programmes in particular, still has many shortcomings
that need to be changed from the individual researcher to the working environment. In addition, the
 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 17

Table 4. Summary of findings from focus group and interviews.

Findings Difficulties in doing research
Lack of knowledge and
research skills
Time constraints
No research funding
Lack of motivation
Lack of English proficiency
Complex paperwork for
getting award of
published paper
Policy on counting research
hours
Not a mandatory
requirement
Challenges in publishing paper Suggested solutions
Choosing trending research topic Self-improvement of skills in
conducting research and
publishing papers
Time constraints Self-motivation for conducting
research
No research funding Spending more time on research
Finding research gap Expanding networks and
collaborations
Indicating theoretical and practical Financial support from the
contributions of a research universities
Complex paperwork for getting award of Providing research skill courses
published paper
Long-time of peer review process Time priorities for researchers
Differences of policies on counting for scientific Better salary for researchers
research activity between natural sciences
and social sciences

development of policies and strategies to promote scientific research activities following the nature
of higher education (i.e. research and creativity rather than just focusing on training human
resources) and to keep up with the general development trend of research universities in the
region and the world is absolutely urgent and necessary. Table 4 summarizes key research
findings of focus group and interviews.
This research argues that by taking the voice of researchers in the case of Vietnam into account,
particularly their challenges and suggested solutions regarding research, the gap in international
publication in the tourism field between English-speaking and non-English-speaking systems can
be narrowed. To make it possible, policy concerning this issue should be implemented firstly in
Vietnam as a non-English-speaking country; later other countries in the Global South could also con-
sider the same.

6. Conclusion and implications

This study explores the current situation of Vietnamese researchers concerning international pub-
lications in the tourism field. It identifies the challenges and solutions regarding scientific research
and international publications by considering the voice of the insiders. This research attempts to
address the current gap when little research examines the international publication in the
tourism field by authors in non-English-speaking and developing countries like Vietnam. This
study found that the number of publications by Vietnamese researchers has increased over the
years, but most published papers relied on ‘overseas factors’ such as authorship, author-current
base, and educational background. The findings from focus group and interviews revealed many
barriers to conducting research and publishing internationally, which are linked to a lack of research
knowledge and skills, time constraints, lack of motivation, language difficulty, cumbersome admin-
istrative procedures, and lack of financial resources. Among the solutions proposed by the intervie-
wees, time and funding for research play the most crucial role. Thus, support in terms of research
time and funding from Vietnamese institutions are the most important ways to help Vietnamese
researchers overcome the current challenges. This study addresses the current knowledge gap
by providing an overview of the international publication of research papers in a specific disadvan-
taged academic context and by adding the voice of non-English-speaking scholars in the tourism
field.
This present study makes several contributions. It not only provides an overview of the publi-
cation in the tourism field of Vietnamese researchers internationally but also offers scholars and
18 H. V. NGUYEN ET AL.

academic institutions an in-depth understanding of the issue. The study raises the voice of non-
native-English speakers in the tourism field, which has been relatively neglected by previous
studies. As earlier mentioned, the study conducted by Amano et al. (2021) recommends that listen-
ing to insiders is an effective method to reduce the language gap in science. By examining additional
obstacles faced by Vietnamese researchers, such as limitations on time, motivation, administrative
procedures, and financial resources, rather than solely focusing on language barriers, the study
broadens our understanding of the challenges faced by non-native-English-speaking scholars in
publishing their research internationally. Additionally, this study highlights the need for a more com-
prehensive approach to addressing the challenges of international publication faced by non-native
English-speaking researchers in developing countries.
Furthermore, this research offers actionable recommendations to enhance the visibility and rep-
resentation of tourism research from the non-English-speaking world, particularly in the context of
the disadvantaged area. These recommendations include time support, research bonus, research
fund, better salary, and more collaborations with experienced international scholars. By providing
these recommendations, the study offers valuable insights to universities and policymakers
seeking to improve the research and publication ability of Vietnamese researchers and researchers
in other non-English-speaking countries. Additionally, this study contributes to the literature on
research collaboration and knowledge exchange. By identifying the lack of collaboration between
Vietnamese researchers and their international counterparts as a barrier to international publication,
this study highlights the importance of international collaboration in enhancing research capabilities
and international publication. This study suggests that researchers, academic institutions, and policy-
makers should continue and strengthen international collaboration and knowledge exchange, which
potentially lead to more robust research and increased visibility of research from non-English-speak-
ing countries.
This study provides several implications for universities to make policies about the enhancement
of international publications. To improve domestic researchers’ scientific research capabilities and
their international publications, the universities they are working for should consider policies that
allow them to better focus on research and international publication because, so far, Vietnamese lec-
turers/researchers have to do much work simultaneously. This means that there will have to be a
specific and favourable policy for this target group related to time support (e.g. this group should
not have to do other miscellaneous work and should have reduced teaching hours), salary and
research bonus, and research fund. Once researchers fully invest in research, the situation of inter-
national publication can be significantly improved. In addition, it is essential to expand collabor-
ations with experienced international scholars to overcome obstacles related to research skills. If
these policies are implemented, it will not only help improve the research and publication ability
of Vietnamese researchers but also boost the ranking of the universities they work for. This also
means shortening the gap in research and international publication between Global North and
Global South.
While this study provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by Vietnamese tourism
researchers as well as solutions when it comes to international publications, there are limitations
that need to be acknowledged. First, this study only collected published papers by Vietnamese
authors from 2015 to March 2022 using Scopus and Scimago systems, which may not represent
the full range of the international publication situation of Vietnamese authors. Therefore, there is
a possibility that some international publications by Vietnamese researchers may not have been
included in this study. Future research could expand the search to incorporate other databases
and sources such as Web of Science and Google Scholar to provide a more comprehensive
picture of the international publication situation of Vietnamese scholars. Second, we only conducted
focus group and semi-structured interviews with researchers working in Vietnam, meaning that the
perceptions of Vietnamese authors publishing in the tourism field and living overseas were not
examined. Future research could expand the scope to include interviews with Vietnamese authors
living overseas to gain a more complete understanding of their experiences and challenges in
 CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM 19

publishing internationally. Third, this study has only dealt with the case of Vietnamese authors in the
field of tourism but has not been extended to researchers in the same field in other non-English-
speaking countries. Future research could extend the scope to integrate researchers in other non-
English-speaking countries in the same or different fields to provide a more nuanced picture of
the issue. This could also help to identify similarities and differences in the experiences and chal-
lenges faced by researchers in different countries and fields. Addressing these limitations could
help future research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the international publi-
cation situation of researchers in non-English-speaking countries and provide more targeted rec-
ommendations to improve their research and international publication capabilities.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ORCID
Hoang V. Nguyen http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9753-8469
Tuyen D. Quang http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4599-2202
Tan Vo-Thanh http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9964-3724

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