{"id":31916,"date":"2025-02-24T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/?post_type=press-release&#038;p=31916"},"modified":"2025-02-24T08:39:30","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T08:39:30","slug":"from-beaches-to-boardrooms-australias-winning-mix-of-diplomacy-tourism-and-sustainability-in-latest-soft-power-report","status":"publish","type":"press-release","link":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/press-releases\/from-beaches-to-boardrooms-australias-winning-mix-of-diplomacy-tourism-and-sustainability-in-latest-soft-power-report","title":{"rendered":"From beaches to boardrooms: Australia\u2019s winning mix of diplomacy, tourism, and sustainability in latest soft power report"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em><em><strong>Ranks 14th nation in Global Soft Power Index 2025, driven by its reputation, influence and a strong and stable economy<\/strong><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Australia strengthens its global standing, ranking 3rd for diplomacy, 6th for stability, and 17th for admired leaders<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ranked 4th as a top travel destination, the country\u2019s appeal as a must-visit location continues to grow<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A leader in sustainability, Australia climbs to 5th place in environmental action, reinforcing its commitment to protecting the planet<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SYDNEY, 25 February 2025<\/strong> \u2013 <strong>Australia<\/strong> continues to strengthen its position as a globally influential nation, ranking 14th with a score of 59.6 out of 100 in the <strong>Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2025<\/strong>, a new report from Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy. This year\u2019s rankings reflect significant strides for the nation in international relations, tourism appeal, a strong and stable economy, and sustainability, reinforcing Australia\u2019s reputation as a trusted, forward-thinking global player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Australia has made a notable leap in \u2018good relations with other countries,\u2019 climbing five spots to 3rd place\u2014a testament to its strong diplomatic ties, commitment to global partnerships, and active engagement on the world stage. Under the Governance pillar, the country also advanced in key areas, rising four places to 6th in \u2018politically stable &amp; well-governed\u2019 and 17th in \u2018internationally admired government leaders.\u2019 These gains underscore Australia\u2019s growing influence in fostering regional stability and global cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mark Crowe, Managing Director Australia, Brand Finance<\/strong>, commented:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\"Australia\u2019s upward trajectory in soft power rankings underscores its strategic positioning as a globally influential player. Strengthening diplomatic ties, a thriving tourism sector, and a firm commitment to sustainability enhance the nation\u2019s appeal\u2014not just to governments and travellers, but also to investors and businesses seeking stability, innovation, and responsible leadership. These rankings highlight Australia\u2019s ability to leverage its global reputation for long-term economic and geopolitical advantage.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Australia\u2019s appeal as a top travel destination has also surged this year, moving up to 4th place from 7th in 2024, further cementing its status as a must-visit location. From its stunning natural landscapes to its vibrant cities and cultural experiences, the country\u2019s tourism industry continues to be a major driver of its soft power influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the area of Sustainability, Australia has also strengthened its standing, climbing to 5th place in environmental action. The country\u2019s ongoing efforts in conservation, renewable energy, and climate initiatives are being increasingly recognised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brand Finance publishes the Global Soft Power Index based on responses from over 170,000 global participants across more than 100 countries. This comprehensive research assesses perceptions of all 193 United Nations member states across 55 metrics, delivering a detailed view of how nations influence preferences and behaviours on the global stage through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Global Soft Power Index offers invaluable insights into the evolving dynamics of soft power as nations navigate complex global challenges, providing a comprehensive benchmark for assessing a nation\u2019s influence and appeal on the world stage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Global Insights: U.S. Leads Global Soft Power, China Rises to Second Spot&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>United States <\/strong>maintains its position at the top of the ranking with an all-time highest Global Soft Power Index score of 79.5 out of 100. Once again, it leads in the Familiarity and Influence Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), three out of eight Soft Power pillars, and ranks highest in 12 out of the 35 nation brand attributes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the first time, <strong>China has surpassed the UK to rank 2nd<\/strong> with a score of 72.8 out of 100 - its highest ever position. Since 2024, China has recorded statistically significant growth across six of the eight Soft Power pillars, and in two-thirds of measured attributes, stemming from strategic efforts including Belt and Road projects, an increased focus on sustainability, stronger domestic brands, and post-pandemic reopening to visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, the <strong>United Kingdom<\/strong>\u2019s drop to third place behind China reflects a period of stagnation in its nation brand perceptions. While scores remain relatively stable, a lack of progress across key pillars \u2013 especially Business &amp; Trade, down to 6th, and Governance, down to 3rd, are an argument that the UK should bolster its Soft Power strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>El Salvador <\/strong>is 2025\u2019s fastest-rising nation, climbing 35 spots to 82<em>nd<\/em> with a +3.2-point increase in its Soft Power score. El Salvador has significantly reduced gang violence and homicides, with improving views of El Salvador as \u2018safe and secure\u2019 and \u2018politically stable and well governed\u2019. El Salvador has also advanced in Business &amp; Trade - its 2021 decision to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, though controversial, has attracted significant attention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ranks 14th nation in Global Soft Power Index 2025, driven by its reputation, influence and a strong and stable economy SYDNEY, 25 February 2025 \u2013 Australia continues to strengthen its position as a globally influential nation, ranking 14th with a score of 59.6 out of 100 in the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2025, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[36,97,163],"class_list":["post-31916","press-release","type-press-release","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-australia","tag-global-soft-power-index","tag-soft-power"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/31916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press-release"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31916"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/31916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31921,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/31916\/revisions\/31921"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}