International tourists visited the filming location of "Kong: Skull Island" in Ninh Binh province in August 2019, before the area was dismantled. (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) - It is time for the film and tourism industries to join hands to promote tourism and develop green economy in Vietnam.
According to a report from Expedia on travel trends in 2023, two-thirds of global travelers consider film-inspired tourism, with 39% planning trips based on stories seen on the big screen.
In the past, Vietnam has seen the positive effects of film induced tourism. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, after the release of French films such as "The Lover," "Dien Bien Phu," and "Indochine," the number of tourists visiting the Southeast Asian nation increased dramatically, even including those from distant markets like Israel and the Middle East.
Young people explore and enjoy themselves at the filming location of 'Kong: Skull Island' in Ninh Binh province, before the area was dismantled. (Photo: VietnamPlus) More recently, the film "Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass" by director Victor Vu helped unlock the tourism potential of Phu Yen province, alongside already popular coastal destinations like Nha Trang city in Khanh Hoa province and Quy Nhon city in Binh Dinh province. Many travellers were drawn to Phu Yen due to its scenic beauty depicted on scene.
Notably, the Netflix series "A Tourist's Guide to Love," shot in five iconic destinations in Vietnam – Hanoi and Ha Giang in the north, Da Nang and Hoi An in the central region, and Ho Chi Minh City in the south – quickly garnered 13.4 million hours of views within four days of release, ranking third among the most-watched English-language films globally and entering the top ten most-watched films in Vietnam and 77 other countries.
Despite these successes, Vietnam still struggles to attract foreign film producers compared to many countries in the region, said Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung.
To leverage the potential of film tourism, there is a need for greater collaboration between the film and tourism industries, he stressed.
Both international and domestic filmmakers face administrative hurdles when filming in Vietnam, and local authorities sometimes prioritize promoting already famous tourist destinations over offering new and unique locations. This can hinder filmmakers' efforts to find beautiful and fresh locations for shoots.
Hoi An ancient town was one of the locations made famous in the movie "A Tourist's Guide to Love." (Photo: VietnamPlus) To foster cooperation and mutually benefit both industries, filmmakers have suggested a close collaboration with the travel service sector. This includes providing information and images for tourism campaigns, organizing film- and tourism-related events, and creating special tourism packages based on film content, among many other activities.
Nguyen Van Tinh, an expert who has extensive experience in the film and cultural industries, recommended enhancing the effectiveness of cultural tourism promotion through filmmaking. He proposed that filmmakers closely align their works with themes such as Vietnam's world cultural and natural heritage, Vietnamese cuisine, homestays in Vietnam, exploring Vietnam's nature, tourism across different regions of Vietnam, Vietnamese festivals, and Vietnamese traditional craft villages.
According to Tinh, the tourism industry can also commission filmmakers to create short films based on these themes. These promotional products should be concise, impactful, and visually appealing to captivate the audience. Then they can be utilised on various media platforms domestically and internationally.
Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province is another destination captured in the film "A Tourist's Guide to Love." (Photo: VietnamPlus) Minister Hung asked businesses, investors, and relevant entities under the ministry to enhance their collaboration, integrating film into tourism promotion efforts to develop Vietnam's green economy.
He also highlighted the importance of attracting investments in building professional film studios and of seamless cooperation between localities, tourism businesses, and film crews to efficiently tap into the tourism potential offered by filmmaking. Moreover, promotional plans and film production activities need to be synchronized with each other.
The official advised that film and tourism should no longer stay separated from each other but instead work closely together to move forward./.
