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

This study investigates the current state of international publications in the field of tourism by non-native-English-speaking Vietnamese researchers and identifies the challenges and solutions regarding scientific research and international publications. A mixed-method approach was employed, including a systematic review of data collected from the Scimago Institutions Rankings system, a focus group, and semi-structured interviews with 25 respondents. While the number of publications by Vietnamese researchers has increased in recent years, 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.