Sharifah Zannierah Syed Marzuki , Mohamad Mokdad , Victor Novianto, Siti Zahrah Buyong , Sanjar Goyipnazarov , Mohamad Zreik
This study is on the entrepreneurial perspective and tourism diffusion in Malaysia through China’s soft power approaches. China’s engagement in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, will be used in this study. Malaysia has received millions of Chinese tourists from the Mainland and it is expected to rise from time to time. The slogan “Visit Malaysia Year” is hoped to lure more international visitors, particularly from China, and boost the tourism industry during post-Covid. It is good to know the outcomes that have been determined that relate to tourism perspectives. This paper seeks to examine three areas that have formed Malaysia-China geopolitical ties, including tourism strategies, outcomes, and economic impacts. The long relationship between Malaysia and China developed more than 50 years ago; thus, China has efficiently used its soft power and delivered benefits without applying coercive power. This feasibility study has gained 60 responses and the findings revealed strong internal consistency within the factors under investigation that showed the robustness of the questionnaire. The findings from Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on five different factors conducted on the questionnaire, including cultural diplomacy, financial incentives, interpersonal interaction, tourism strategies, and soft power tourism adoption policy, show a strong internal consistency within each factor. This study is significant for the policymakers, industry players and researchers on the impact of China’s soft power on tourism diffusion in Malaysia.