FROM TOURISM TO SOFT POWER: HOW DESTINATION IMAGE, CULTURAL DIPLOMACY, AND TOURIST ENGAGEMENT SHAPE PAKISTAN’S GLOBAL IMAGE

Abstract

This research aims to explore the influence of destination image, cultural diplomacy and tourist engagement on the creation of tourism soft power and its role in Pakistan's image in the world. The study was based on Soft Power Theory and used a quantitative cross sectional design with 250 international tourists who had visited Pakistan. The data were analyzed by SPSS, AMOS with confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The findings showed that destination image, cultural diplomacy and tourist engagement had substantial positive effects on the tourism-driven soft power and the tourism-driven soft power significantly positively affected the image of Pakistan in the world. The study introduces destination perceptions into the concept of Soft Power Theory by combining cultural encounters, tourist engagement and destination perceptions in a single model. The findings contribute to tourism and soft-power literature while offering practical insights for leveraging tourism experiences and cultural engagement to strengthen Pakistan’s international attractiveness and global image.