Shanghai Film Festival Taps China’s Movie Tourism Boom

The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is leveraging China’s booming movie tourism trend through its new “Grand Landscape: A Cinematic Portrait of China” program. This curated selection of 15 films showcases the country’s most breathtaking natural landscapes, from remote mountains and grasslands to ancient waterways and deserts.

The initiative is a strategic move to channel the enthusiasm of domestic and international audiences into tourism spending (RMB) in China’s less-visited regions. By featuring these stunning locations as central characters in the films, SIFF hopes to inspire viewers to travel to the actual filming sites. The program highlights how Chinese cinema is increasingly acting as a powerful marketing tool for regional tourism.

  • Key Goal: Convert film viewership into tangible travel bookings to remote Chinese destinations.
  • Film Selection: 15 films chosen specifically for their vivid portrayal of natural beauty.
  • Economic Impact: Aims to boost local economies in areas that rely on tourism revenue.

This trend mirrors a global phenomenon where popular film locations see dramatic increases in visitor numbers. For China, it represents a creative synergy between the entertainment industry and the tourism sector, using the emotional connection forged by cinema to drive economic growth in rural and scenic areas. The program underscores SIFF’s role not just as a film showcase, but as a catalyst for broader cultural and economic development.

Source: Holly Wood Reporter – How the Shanghai Film Festival Is Tapping Into China’s Movie Tourism Boom