Hit films boost tourism market in China

Photo shows a statue of Nezha, the main character from the Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2." (Photo/Xinhua)

The Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" has earned box office revenue of more than 14 billion yuan ($1.92 billion) worldwide, putting it in the top 10 highest grossing films of all time and securing the throne as the highest-grossing animated movie of all time globally.

While shattering multiple global box office records, the film, especially the main character Nezha, a rebellious boy-god from Chinese mythology, has sparked a wave of tourism.

"Traveling along the Nezha trail" has become a popular choice among tourists, with multiple destinations trending on social media and experiencing unprecedented visitor surges.

"It's mind-blowing!" said Wang Hao, a tourist from Beijing, after experiencing a 5D immersive film at a cultural tourism complex in north China's Tianjin Municipality.

"The seawater, docks, and ships were right before my eyes—so realistic I felt I could touch them and reminded me of scenes in Chentang Pass in 'Ne Zha 2.' One moment I was riding on Nezha's magical wind and fire wheels, the next I was cutting through the waves," Wang said.

Tourists visit the Laoling Film Studio in Dezhou, east China's Shandong Province, where the movie "Detective Chinatown 1900" was filmed. (Photo/Xinhua)

Wang added that beyond the entertainment value, he gained unexpected insights into Tianjin's history as a riverside and seaside city. "It was both fun and meaningful," Wang noted.

Wang's satisfying experience stems from four Nezha-themed tourism routes launched in Tianjin. These routes have boosted visitor traffic by nearly 30 percent.

Other locations featuring Nezha-themed elements across China have become hot spots for visitors. The tourist visits at a park related to Chentang Pass in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province skyrocketed 300 percent during this year's Spring Festival holiday. Visitor numbers to the Nezha Palace honoring Nezha in the Cuiping Mountain scenic area in Yibin, southwest China's Sichuan Province have surged by nearly 300 percent compared to the same period in previous years.

Among the film lineup during the Spring Festival holiday this year, it's not just "Ne Zha 2" that fueled a tourism boom.

Photo shows posters of the Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" at a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Photo/Xinhua)

For example, the fantasy epic "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force" drove a surge in tourism in Anyang city, which is home to the Yin Ruins, remnants of the capital of the late Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BC). The Laoling Film Studio, the filming location of another blockbuster movie "Detective Chinatown 1900," in Dezhou, east China's Shandong Province, raked in nearly 100 million yuan in tourism revenue in seven days during the Spring Festival holiday.

"Despite rain, snow, and temperature drops during our opening period, our replica of old San Francisco's Chinatown received approximately 150,000 tourist visits in seven days. This helped bring nearly 700,000 tourist arrivals to surrounding scenic spots and commercial districts, generating over 90 million yuan in comprehensive tourism revenue," said Xu Tianrui, publicity manager of the Laoling Film Studio.

Data indicates that popular films and TV series can increase visitor numbers to filming locations by 25 percent to 300 percent. One successful movie can put an entire city on the tourism map, demonstrating the unlimited potential of the deep integration between the film and TV industry and tourism.

According to earlier research data by the China Tourism Academy, 24.5 percent of Chinese tourists surveyed said they were interested in previously unconsidered destinations after watching a film, a TV drama, or a variety show.

Films not only visually captivate audiences but subtly inspire them to have a deep longing for the characters, places, and cultural elements portrayed on screen.

"Some films evoke a strong sense of identity through compelling stories and profound themes. After watching films, many viewers are willing to further explore profound cultural elements showcased in the films and transform this desire into actual consumption behavior," said Cui Li, a professor at the School of Tourism Sciences at Beijing International Studies University.

Tourists watch a scene play based on the Tang Dynasty (618-907) at the Datang Everbright City, a tourist landmark featuring a grand street with characteristics of the Tang Dynasty in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo/Xinhua)

A well-received film with strong box office momentum can generate significant public interest and social buzz, creating prime opportunities for the marketing and development of cultural and tourism industries, said Wei Pengju, director of the Institute of Cultural Economics at the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing.

Cui believes blockbuster productions bring new opportunities for tourism development through their extensive reach and influence, while social media platforms facilitate information sharing that popularizes film-inspired tourism.

Cui suggests that film-induced destinations should actively tap into local history, culture, and folk customs and integrate them with film elements to create distinctive tourism products. Ideally, these places need to develop their own IPs.

In addition, regions need to leverage modern technologies and market demands to introduce innovative product forms and business models, such as using VR and AR technologies to create immersive cultural tourism products. They should also strengthen branding and promotion, improve tourism infrastructure, and enhance service quality through staff training.