Purpose This paper aims to examine the factors affecting travelers’ decision to select more than one destination in their trips. Drawn from the rational choice theory, this study posits that the selection of multi-destination tours, as a rational choice, is determined by the travelers’ perception of costs and benefits associated with that choice. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual model was developed from both an exploratory research with in-depth interview and the literature. A logistic regression model linking four explanatory variables representing perceived benefits and costs of multi-destination option with travelers’ choice of multi-destination trips. The conceptual model is controlled for diversity of travel purposes; tour group size; type of travel arrangement and travelers’ demographic characteristics while the research context of multi-destination travel within Phu Yen – Dak Lak – Gia Lai – Binh Dinh helps control for the characteristics of the destination set (spatial proximity and traffic convenience). The conceptual model was tested based on data collected from 1,361 Vietnamese travelers who have ever visited at least one of the four provinces. Findings This study finds that perceived benefits in terms of diversifying tourism experiences and perceived costs of traveling in multiple places compared to taking single trips represent the most significant drivers for tourists’ selection of multi-destination tours. In addition, the diversity of travel purposes and tour group size have a positive and significant impact on the demand for traveling more than one destination in a trip. Moreover, the richer, older and married travelers have a significantly higher tendency to select multi-destination packages. Practical implications The research findings provide important strategic implications for promoting multi-destination trips, thereby, maximizing economic benefits from tourism. Originality/value While multi-destination travel patterns have been examined empirically in individual studies sporadically without a common theoretical background, this research makes some progress on this front by using the rational choice theory to connect the relative contributions of those factors to the travelers’ choice of multi-destination trips. Specifically, this study provides a new perspective in explaining the selection of multi-destination trips – from tourists’ perceptions about costs and benefits associated with that choice.

Digital channels (websites, bank apps, mobile banking) are incrementally improving as a result of technology innovation and changing customer behavior. The unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic has just added to this trend by urging people to work and make all financial transaction through the Internet. In this context, the question arises of whether banks should revive their physical branches or take the opportunity to shift to mainly digital platform? This research focuses on the branch network trend of Vietnamese commercial banks during the period 2012–2019 to answer the question, what is the contribution of bank branch networks to the banks’ profits. Panel data from 22 largest Vietnamese commercial banks in terms of owners’ capital has been analyzed, using Random Effect Model (REM) regression models. The results show that Vietnamese banks are still expanding their branch networks, despite the fact that bank customers are increasingly engaging in digital bank services. The number of branches has a positive correlation with the banks’ profits, although there is a disparity between large network banks and the rest. The research suggests some implications that can help optimize the branch network in the context of digitalization in an emerging market.