In today’s international relations, cultural values and interactions between societies play a decisive role, complementing traditional political and economic power dynamics. The diversification of communication channels through globalization has brought cultural diplomacy at the heart of international relations. This study aims to evaluate the roles of tourist guides in the context of the increasing importance of cultural diplomacy within a theoretical framework. While traditionally regarded as information transmitters, tourist guides are now redefined as cultural representatives and diplomatic intermediaries. Existing theoretical and empirical studies were examined through a literature review approach. The findings revealed that tourist guides were critical actors in cultural identity construction, perception management and promotion of cultural heritage at the international level. Tourist guides, who communicated directly with international visitors, made significant contributions to the accurate representation of national culture, overcoming cultural biases, reinforcing a positive cultural image and promoting intercultural understanding. Through accurate information flow and effective cultural narratives, they paved the way for the strengthening of cultural and economic relations between countries and the formation of diplomatic cooperation. Consequently, tour guides as key actors in cultural diplomacy, assuming communicative responsibilities and partipating actively in its realization.
Çorman et al. (Thu,) studied this question.