The seminar "Vietnam - A New Destination for World Cinema" was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Nhan Dan Newspaper in Hanoi. Photo: HL
Linking cinema and tourism
At the seminar, Central Committee member, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association , Le Quoc Minh, affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to tourism development, making tourism a key economic sector. “Domestic tourism is recovering spectacularly. Strengthening communication and promotion, building communication programs and campaigns with new approaches is absolutely essential,” Comrade Le Quoc Minh emphasized.
Affirming that cinema is a major resource for tourism development, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung stated that among the 12 sectors of the cultural industry, cinema and tourism are two key areas. The linkage between these two sectors will be a crucial driving force for economic development. "The link between cinema and tourism is the right direction and an inevitable trend for effectively developing and promoting tourism," Mr. Nguyen Van Hung said.
Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, and President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, Le Quoc Minh, delivers a speech. Photo: HL
In fact, countries around the world have been effectively leveraging film in propaganda, promotion, and attracting tourists. Statistics show that since the release of the "Lord of the Rings" films in 2001, the number of international visitors to New Zealand has increased by 50%. In the UK, between 2011 and 2014, the "Harry Potter" series helped increase foreign visitors to film locations by 230%. The stunning locations in Croatia, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, etc., featured in "Game of Thrones" have also become tourist attractions after the series' release.
In Vietnam, with its beautiful natural landscapes, many locations such as Quang Binh, Ninh Binh, Dien Bien, and Phu Yen have been chosen by international directors as filming locations, including famous films like "The Lover," "Indochine," "The Quiet American," "Peter Pan," and "Kong: Skull Islands." Several international television production companies and famous singers have also come to Vietnam to film, such as the Good Morning America program, BBC documentaries, and singer Alan Walker filming a music video.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung affirmed the effectiveness of the collaboration between cinema and tourism. Photo: HL
Speaking about the effectiveness of film in attracting tourists, the Director of the Ninh Binh Provincial Department of Tourism, Bui Van Manh, said that in 1992, the film "Indochine" had several scenes filmed in Ha Long Bay, Thai Hoa Palace in Hue, Tu Duc Mausoleum (Hue), and Tam Coc - Bich Dong in Ninh Binh. After the film was released, the Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist area (Ninh Binh) became known to many international tourists, especially French tourists. Currently, French and European tourists account for 80% of visitors to the Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist area, changing the structure of tourism there.
According to Nguyen Ngoc Quy, Director of the Quang Binh Provincial Department of Tourism, film, especially Hollywood blockbusters, is highly effective in promoting tourist destinations, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.
Clear policies and mechanisms are needed.
At the workshop, in addition to affirming the great potential of film development linked to tourism, experts also frankly acknowledged the limitations and shortcomings that have prevented Vietnamese tourism from benefiting much from the film industry. Most opinions suggested that, for a long time, Vietnam has not been truly proactive in inviting, supporting, or introducing international film crews to Vietnam. Furthermore, procedural, tax, and financial barriers are obstacles that discourage international film crews from choosing Vietnam.
The filming location of the movie "Kong: Skull Islands" in Ninh Binh. Photo: ST
Proposing solutions to create a favorable legal framework for attracting international filmmakers to Vietnam, the Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, Cao Tri Dung, suggested that a national, local, and enterprise-level database on investment attraction policies is needed soon. “The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism needs to take the lead in establishing a central point of contact and connecting relevant units. At the same time, there needs to be a plan to promote and introduce Vietnam as a world-class film destination,” Mr. Cao Tri Dung stated.
According to Nguyen Quy Phuong, Head of the Tourism Promotion Management Department (Vietnam National Tourism Administration), Vietnam needs to innovate its promotional efforts and provide specific incentives for the film industry to produce high-quality films that effectively promote domestic tourism. Ngo Phuong Lan, President of the Vietnam Film Promotion and Development Association, suggested that although the 2022 Film Law has many new provisions, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the tax authorities should issue sub-laws and provide incentives for filmmakers. This would significantly impact the attraction of film crews to Vietnam.
To promote tourism destinations and attract Hollywood film studios to Vietnam, from September 21 to 28, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will organize the Vietnam Tourism and Film Promotion Program in the United States with the theme "Vietnam - A New Destination for World Cinema".
Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, affirmed that this promotional program will feature the participation of renowned Hollywood directors and filmmakers. This is a highlight of the promotional program in 2024, hopefully opening a new chapter for the development of film tourism in Vietnam in the future.
Source: https://baodienbienphu.com.vn/tin-uc/du-lich/218011/hut-khach-du-lich-tu-dien-anh
Comment (0)