China’s Spring Festival: Blockbusters Fuel Movie-Inspired Tourism Boom | Xinhua
BEIJING/SHANGHAI, Feb. 22, 2026 – China’s Spring Festival holiday is experiencing a surge in tourism directly linked to the success of recent blockbuster films, with locations featured on screen seeing significant increases in bookings and visitor numbers. The trend, bolstered by government initiatives, marks a shift in how the holiday is experienced, moving beyond traditional family gatherings to include immersive, film-inspired travel.
By Saturday, total box office revenue, including pre-sales, had exceeded 4 billion yuan (approximately $576 million USD), with the racing-comedy “Pegasus 3” leading the charts, according to Xinhua News Agency. The film’s impact extends beyond cinema attendance, driving a notable increase in travel to its shooting locations.
Qunar, an online travel platform, reported a 40 percent increase in hotel bookings in Garze, Sichuan Province and a 71 percent jump in Delingha, Qinghai Province, compared to last year’s Spring Festival holiday. Shanghai resident Xia Lin, a long-time fan of the “Pegasus” franchise since its 2019 debut, exemplifies this trend. “As soon as I finished watching ‘Pegasus 3,’ I rushed to plan a family spring trip to Garze to check in the racetrack featured in the film,” she said.
The film’s influence is also visible in urban tourism. In Shanghai, metro lines, bridges, parks, and landmarks featured in “Pegasus 3” have become popular destinations for fans. Yang Han, a researcher at Qunar’s Big Data Research Institute, noted that the connection between films and tourism has begun earlier this year than in previous years. He attributed this to the established fanbase of the “Pegasus” series, with many planning trips even before the latest installment’s release.
Another film contributing to the trend is “Blades of the Guardians,” directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Jet Li and Wu Jing. Qunar data shows searches for desert sightseeing and desert highway tours increased by 60 percent in anticipation of the film’s release, focusing attention on the landscapes of Xinjiang in northwest China.
This convergence of film and tourism is not solely organic. The China Film Administration launched a series of initiatives in 2026, including campaigns such as “Travel with Films,” “Taste Cuisine with Films,” and “Shopping with Films,” to actively promote this integration. Local governments have responded with consumption vouchers, themed routes, and cross-sector promotions.
Guangdong Province, spurred by the release of Zhang Yimou’s spy thriller “Scare Out,” unveiled 60 film-themed travel routes spanning 21 cities, integrating screenings with dining, retail, and cultural experiences. In Shanghai’s Hongkou District, 11 cinemas partnered with commercial and cultural venues to offer “New Year in the Movies” experiences, including ticket-stub discounts and interactive installations. Sichuan distributed movie consumption vouchers worth over 4 million yuan between February 8th and 19th, combining film discounts with tourism and dining subsidies.
According to Hou Keming, a professor at the Beijing Film Academy, this “film+” model signifies a maturation of China’s holiday consumption structure. Spring Festival moviegoing has evolved from a purely entertainment-focused activity to a cultural ritual intertwined with family reunions and experiential travel. “A film’s value lies not only in its box office performance, but also in the ripple effects it generates across tourism, catering and other sectors,” Hou said. “The economic and cultural impact now extends far beyond the screen.”