Crafting Perceptions: A Corpus-Linguistic and Visual Analysis of Pakistani Travel Guides for Sustainable Tourism Promotion

Abstract

This paper explores the linguistic and non-linguistic strategies adopted in the Pakistani travel guides to shape and manipulate the tourism discourse. Specifically, it examines the prevalence and the effect of adjectival descriptors and analyzes non-linguistic strategies like visual composition, evocative imagery, chromatic palettes, and innovative designs. In this study, a mixed-method approach was considered for data collection from six English language websites of travel guides in Pakistan. In addition, the quantitative analysis was conducted with AntConc entailed frequency profiles of adjectives, assessing how these were distributed among the emotive, evaluative, and descriptive functions. The qualitative analysis was informed by Halliday's metafunctions and Kress and Van Leeuwen's visual grammar. The study also used Network Graph Analysis, showing the semantic relations among adjectives. The findings show multivalent role of ‘green’, acting as ecological motif to promote sustainability and a corner stone of national identity. The findings point to the need for more balanced, context-rich promotional material that integrates precise linguistic and visual elements. This study provides practical recommendations which would help in enhancing the quality of Pakistani travel guides, promoting sustainable tourism, and positioning Pakistan as a competitive destination in global travel discourse.