As of 3 p.m. on October 5, 2026, China’s National Day holiday box office surpassed 8亿元 according to
As of 3 p.m. on October 5, 2026, China’s National Day holiday box office surpassed 8亿元 according to network platform data, driven by a surge in film-induced tourism and regional culinary consumption.
Box Office Momentum Drives Jiangmen Tourism
The suspense-crime feature The Empty Gun anchored holiday ticket sales while sparking a massive wave of on-location tourism. Set against a 1990s Guangdong-Hong Kong police procedural backdrop, the production utilized historical arcade streets and Lingnan ancient villages in Jiangmen—specifically around Xinhui’s old town and Pengjiang District’s Diyue Plaza—to preserve authentic overseas Chinese architecture and streetscapes.
Hong Kong visitor Zhong Dachin told reporters he traveled specifically to the location to experience the atmosphere depicted in the film. Local businesses reported substantial gains. Staff member Ms. Li noted that sales of pineapple buns, a classic pastry highlighted in the movie, surged past normal levels during the holiday rush, frequently selling out due to high demand from film tourists.
To capitalize on the momentum, Jiangmen tourism authorities designed a themed “food-seeking” travel route featuring seven primary shooting locations and four exclusive installation spots. The municipal strategy links cinematic foot traffic directly with local commercial districts by offering discounts at shopping centers for patrons presenting The Empty Gun movie stubs.
Culinary Hits Lift Holiday Restaurant Spending
Data from the Chengdu Restaurant Association shows online searches for local Sichuan eateries rose over thirty percent during the Mid-Autumn and National Day holiday window as dining establishments introduced themed menu combinations to capture post-cinema crowds.
Heilongjiang Uses Cinema Tickets to Boost Forest Tourism
In Heilongjiang province, the Yichun forest ecosystem used cinematic cross-promotions to boost regional travel. Known for its vast red pine forests and an 83.8 percent forest coverage rate, the region launched a tourism-reciprocity campaign titled “Travel with Movies to Explore the Forest Home.”
Under the initiative, visitors holding admission tickets to participating nature sites—including Tangwanghe Forest Stone Park and Wuying Red Pine Forest—received twenty percent discounts at partner cinemas. Conversely, ticket stubs from local film screenings granted visitors discounted entry into the four participating ecological scenic areas. Theater operator Ao Zhanyuan noted that the cross-promotional model yielded a noticeable lift in audience attendance by bundling cinematic entertainment with outdoor sightseeing and regional hospitality.