Moviegoers in Hong Kong and Macao have found a renewed interest in traveling to the Chinese mainland after viewing recent blockbuster hits like the chart-topping animated film Ne Zha 2.
Hong Kong and Macao hosted the "China Travel with Chinese Films" event yesterday, attracting a large number of local residents and expats to inquire about travel opportunities at film locations and settings featured in popular movies. As a sequel to the 2019 animated adventure "Ne Zha," the film has shattered multiple records since its premiere on Jan 29. With audiences in China's two special administrative regions flocking to cinemas, an initiative launched Saturday, titled "China Travel with Chinese Films", is seeking to convert these moviegoers into journeying explorers.
At a cinema in Hong Kong, China Travel Service (CTS) and several online travel platforms have set up booths to showcase China's rich cultural heritage and diverse tourism resources. Visitors can learn about film locations, shooting sites, and the real-life settings within the movie storylines.
"I found it very interesting that in 'Ne Zha 2,' the character Taiyi Zhenren (Ne Zha's mentor) speaks with a Sichuan dialect. I heard that [the voice actor of] Taiyi Zhenren is actually from Sichuan. This makes it (the character) quite vivid, and it makes me want to go to Sichuan," said Lam, a moviegoer and Hong Kong resident.
"After watching the film, we saw the CTS booth here, and we came to learn more, hoping we might travel to the Mainland in the future," said Sam, another moviegoer living in Hong Kong.
According to film professionals, the ability of cinema to inspire tourism may soon arise as a fresh trend in the industry.
"A movie can stimulate direct consumption, such as in the food and beverage industry. But I think its driving force will be even greater for delayed consumption, like tourism. For foreign countries, the self-confidence in Chinese culture displayed by 'Ne Zha 2' will attract more and more foreign friends who like Chinese culture to travel in China and experience a different China," said David Ding Kai, general manager of the Sil-Metropole Organization, a Hong Kong-based film and television production company.
Meanwhile, the "China Travel with Chinese Films" at a cinema in Macao also proved popular among Nezha 2 viewers in Macao.
"The film has incorporated a lot of traditional Chinese culture. For example, the design of the 'Boundary Guardian Beasts' were inspired by ancient bronze artifacts. It makes me want to visit Sanxingdui Ruins, [considered one of the world's most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century], to see these bronze wares in person," said Chan, a moviegoer and Macao resident.
As Chinese New Year films continue to gain global popularity, the initiative has even attracted foreign residents and visitors in the special administrative regions.
Steven Choi, a moviegoer from the United States, said the movie sparked his interest in traveling to the Chinese Mainland to learn more about the history of the Qin Dynasty (221BC - 207BC) and Tang Dynasty (618-907).
"I have to say it's very worth a try," said Steven Choi, a moviegoer from the United States.
"Ne Zha 2 has crossed a lot of expectations, and it's one of the highest grossing movies. And it really has a profound culture. And seeing that movie just makes me want to go to these places because like it really looks amazing and the food and culture and everything. I think it's just awesome," said Danny, a foreign visitor who viewed Ne Zha 2 in Macao.
Ne Zha 2 sparks travel curiosity among viewers in China's Hong Kong, Macao
