Vietnam’s tourism sector has experienced unprecedented expansion, becoming a foundational pillar of the national economy and a vital catalyst for regional development. However, this rapid growth increasingly imposes severe challenges on the preservation of cultural identity and the long-term authenticity of indigenous traditions, often leading to a paradoxical 'commodification' of heritage for market consumption. This paper adopts a sophisticated sociological lens—drawing upon Bourdieu’s concepts of cultural capital and Goffman’s dramaturgical perspective—to critically examine the dialectical tensions between sustainable tourism development and the imperatives of cultural conservation. By deconstructing the relationship between the 'front stage' of tourism and the 'back stage' of communal life, this study argues that achieving genuine sustainability necessitates a fundamental paradigm shift from a profit-centric approach toward a community-empowered framework. This framework grants local populations agency over their own cultural assets, ensuring that heritage remains a living social entity rather than a static product. Ultimately, the research provides a strategic roadmap and evidence-based policy recommendations to assist policymakers and practitioners in fostering a balanced tourism ecosystem that rigorously respects cultural integrity while simultaneously promoting robust socio-economic prosperity.