This year's Spring Festival travel season is witnessing an unprecedented fusion of cinema and tourism across the Chinese mainland, as blockbuster film locations become must-visit destinations. With the ongoing 2026 Film Economy Promotion Year initiative, audiences are trading theater seats for real-world exploration of iconic movie settings.
The family adventure Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe has sparked particular interest in Yunnan Province's Wengding Village. The 400-year-old Wa ethnic settlement, featured prominently in the film's mist-shrouded mountain landscapes, has seen visitor numbers surge by 160% compared to last year's holiday period according to local authorities.
"What began as cinematic storytelling has evolved into multidimensional cultural experiences," noted Beijing Film Academy's Associate Professor Sun Yanbin. "Film-themed markets connecting movie props with local handicrafts, and tourism routes that mirror on-screen journeys, are creating new economic opportunities."
This trend extends beyond natural scenery, with historical dramas driving interest in intangible cultural heritage sites. The Spring Festival period has seen provincial governments collaborate with studios to develop augmented reality tours that overlay film narratives onto physical locations.
Industry analysts suggest this screen-to-scene movement could add ¥18.7 billion to regional tourism revenues this quarter, particularly benefiting rural communities featured in popular productions. As the holiday travel season continues through March 5, destinations featured in recent releases remain top searches on Chinese travel platforms.
