Promoting tourism through culture: From film studio to live stage

When culture becomes a tourism ambassador

“Currently, up to 70% of international tourists no longer follow package tours but choose to explore and plan on their own. That means they will be attracted by what the media, culture, movies... tell them, not by flyers or traditional promotional tours,” said Mr. Nguyen Chau A, General Director of Oxalis Adventure Company.

Ninh Binh stands out with many beautiful landscapes favored by nature.

The question is how can Vietnam "catch the eye" of these modern tourists? Oxalis, the unit that brought the Kong: Skull Island film crew to Vietnam, has proven the effectiveness of promotion through films. The majestic landscapes of Ninh Binh, Quang Binh and Ha Long City appearing on the big screen have brought the image of Vietnam to the world. Not stopping there, Alan Walker's MV Alone Pt.II filmed in Son Doong Cave also attracted tens of millions of views, arousing curiosity and urging viewers to come to the place to admire that magical beauty with their own eyes. According to Mr. Nguyen Chau A, organizing famtrip programs for international film crews, promoting the setting through film festivals, international events... is the shortest way to "pull" world cinema to Vietnam, at the same time bringing Vietnamese tourism to the world.

Besides movies, performing arts is a powerful media channel that can easily make an impression. The Dream Puppetry program at That Theater in Nha Trang City is a typical example, not only bringing unique traditional water puppetry performances but also expressing the typical cultural values of the Central region. According to statistics from the organizer, in the first year of implementation (2024), 40% of the program's visitors were foreigners. Ms. Maria, a German tourist, shared: "The program is not just a performance, but a journey to discover Vietnamese culture through each sophisticated puppet movement combined with lively music. This is a unique experience that I have never seen anywhere else."

In Quang Nam, the Hoi An Impressions program is also a successful cultural tourism product. This is a unique live show, telling the story of Hoi An's history and culture through dance, music and light. The combination of cultural, artistic and traditional elements has created an impressive and new tourism experience, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign visitors.

Creative arts fuel the power of tourism

In modern tourism promotion, incorporating culture into marketing strategies has proven to be extremely effective. The Hallyu wave is a vivid example of how culture not only shapes a country’s image but also directly promotes tourism. According to Ms. Park Eun Jung, Chief Representative of the Korea Tourism Organization in Vietnam, up to 8.7% of international tourists choose to visit Korea just to visit places associated with music (K-pop), movies and famous TV shows. Not only movies, Korea also makes the most of other popular cultural elements such as cosmetics and cuisine to build attractive tourism products.

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (Quang Binh province), a favorite location for many filmmakers

Mr. Tran Hoang, Director of the Copyright Department, said that if Vietnam cannot create cultural waves, it can learn from China's current approach. In China, exploiting large-scale art programs as tourism highlights has been emphasized in recent times. A typical example is the Impression Lijiang art program, a famous live-action show directed by Zhang Yimou, with the world's largest outdoor stage, which not only attracts tourists but also brings great economic benefits to the locality. Media expert Le Quoc Vinh affirmed: "Vietnam has many unique landscapes, it is completely possible to organize large-scale live-action shows in the middle of nature."

Marketing tourism through culture is not only an option, but has become an inevitable path for countries to build their tourism brands. However, to do this, there needs to be consensus from state agencies and businesses, along with strong investment in infrastructure and policies. Only then can Vietnam develop tourism in a sustainable direction, linked to culture and art, thereby creating a strong tourism brand on the world map.

MAI AN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/quang-ba-du-lich-bang-van-hoa-tu-phim-truong-den-san-khau-thuc-canh-post795445.html