A proposed theoretical framework for community-based tourism governance integrating value co-creation: A case study of Northern Vietnam’s mountainous region

This study examines community-based tourism among ethnic minorities in Ha Giang, now part of Tuyen Quang Province, as a representative case of Northern Vietnam’s mountainous region. Drawing on cultural anthropology, stakeholder theory, the Experience Economy, and the S-O-R framework, the study analyzes local resources, cultural capital, space, infrastructure, social context, tourist interaction, and experience as key stimuli. Through educational, aesthetic, and escapist values within the 4Es framework, tourists may develop psychological immersion, satisfaction, destination loyalty, and intentions toward sustainable tourism behavior. Based on these relationships, the study proposes a community-based tourism governance framework centered on value co-creation, aiming to balance the power and roles of the State, enterprises, local communities, and tourists while supporting sustainable heritage and tourism development.