Leveraging Social Media for Enrichment in Buddhist Tourism: A Mixed-Methods Study between Pakistan and China

This research work takes a strategic perspective on how social media can be leveraged for use between Pakistan and China, considering cultural and historical ties under the roof of Buddhist tourism. The Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) is applied in this qualitative study, complemented by the quantitative analysis of engagement through social media, to gain insights into why people visit different websites and how effective social media is in promoting tourism. The paper considered WeChat, Weibo, Instagram, and Facebook as they all have something unique to give to a tourist. The research has found that culturally relevant and visually rich content is much more effective in attracting Chinese tourists to the Buddhist heritage sites of Taxila and Takht- i-Bahi in Pakistan. Different online platforms have different preferences in presenting information and visual engagement, so WeChat is ideal for the dissemination of information and Instagram for visual engagement. Findings highlight the importance of cross-platform strategies and localized content for maximum outreach of tourism. Tables have been provided to compare the engagement metrics across the platforms, indicating which content types work well. This research provides actionable suggestions for tourism boards and marketers to develop targeted social media policies that can support higher tourist visits between countries and strengthen cultural bonds.