Central China’s Hunan rolls out game-themed travel route to “woo” young people

As a try on cross-industry collaboration, central China’s Hunan province has launched a travel route catering to travel enthusiasts who are also lovers of the mobile game “Moonlight Blade.”

Game players get dressed in cosplay costumes. (Photo/Chinanews.com)

The route involves three scenic spots: Furong Township, Zhangjiajie, and Ancient Fenghuang Township, all popular tourist destinations in China.

Designed by an international travel agency based in Hunan, the route was launched by the online travel agency LY.com and developer of the game “Moonlight Blade” affiliated with the internet company Tencent.

A courtyard, which is a duplication of a scene in “Moonlight Blade,” was built in Furong Township to create a strong game atmosphere, integrate the buildings of the Tujia ethnic minority, and display renowned intangible cultural heritage items of China.

“We’ve designed a script for players to fully engage with the game, while experiencing the distinctive architecture and culture of west Hunan province,” introduced Zhang Yang, head of the western and eastern China regions of the marketing department of Tencent Interactive Entertainment.

With about 6 million people visiting Furong Township annually, the exquisitely designed route, which features scenic spots, hotels, restaurants, shops and other resources, is expected to offer a brand new travel experience.

Zhangjiajie, which is well known among tourists, especially by foreigners as the prototype for scenes in the Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar,” has also been included on the travel route.

By creating an immersive experience for tourists, the “traveling game” is appealing to young people. “The travel route is expected to become a hit soon after young tourists share pictures or videos of it on social media platforms,” said Huang Donghong, deputy head of the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.

Last year, the tourism revenue in Hunan reached 826.2 billion yuan (over $127.5 billion). This year, the province hopes to bring the figure up to more than 1 trillion yuan.