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Vietnam wants to become a new destination for world cinema

Market news

12/09/2024

Minister Nguyen Van Hung said that by combining cinema and tourism into a large promotional campaign, international friends will know about "Vietnam's strengths".

Vietnam wants to become a new destination for world cinema

Minister Nguyen Van Hung said that combining cinema and tourism into a large promotional campaign will help international friends know about "Vietnam's strengths".

Speaking at the seminar "Vietnam - a new destination for world cinema" on September 10 in Hanoi, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (VHTTDL) Nguyen Van Hung said that in the 12 fields of the cultural industry, cinema and tourism are the two key sectors. The strength of cinema is not only in the field of art but also in the cultural factor. If Vietnam knows how to take advantage of this strength to connect cinema and tourism, the spread of the destination to international tourists will be very high.

Vietnam has majestic landscapes, unique culture, diverse cuisine, friendly people and many potentials and advantages to develop tourism through the field of cinema as well as become a new destination for world cinema. According to Minister Hung, the tourism industry needs to be proactive and take the lead in promoting and advertising so that the international community knows about Vietnam's potential and strengths. "If we stay at home and close our doors, no one will know what Vietnam has," said Mr. Hung.

Làng thổ dân gần đầm Vân Long, Ninh Bình xuất hiện trong phim bom tấn Kong: Skull Island. Ảnh cắt từ video

The indigenous village near Van Long lagoon, Ninh Binh appears in the blockbuster Kong: Skull Island. Photo cut from video

The Minister also requested that the tourism industry needs to research and introduce new and strange things to international friends through key, comprehensive campaigns instead of widespread or small-scale ones. Only when simultaneously promoting tourism can Vietnam create a buzz, attract tourists and be effective.

Director of the National Tourism Administration Nguyen Trung Khanh also affirmed that many countries have become tourist hotspots thanks to movies. According to statistics, since 2001, after the Lord of the Rings movies were released, the number of international visitors to New Zealand, where the movies were filmed, increased by 50%. In the UK, during the period 2011-2014, the Harry Potter series helped this country increase the number of visitors by 230%. People flock to the film studios where Harry Potter was filmed to visit. Destinations in Croatia, Iceland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland have also become tourist attractions after appearing in the series Game of Thrones.

Một cảnh quay tại TP HCM trong phim A Tourists Guide to Love. Ảnh:Netflix

A scene in Ho Chi Minh City in the movie A Tourist's Guide to Love. Photo: Netflix

According to the World Economic Forum's 2024 rankings, Vietnam's natural and cultural resources are highly appreciated, ranked 26th and 28th. Director Khanh assessed that this is a good resource for developing tourism combined with cinema. The success of the movie Kong: Skull Island with scenes filmed in Ha Long, Quang Binh, Ninh Binh shows that Vietnam is fully capable of becoming a filming location for Hollywood blockbusters.

One of the provinces whose tourism industry benefits the most from cinema is Ninh Binh. According to Director of Ninh Binh Department of Tourism Bui Van Manh, cinema has been and is contributing significantly to attracting international visitors to this place. In 1992, the movie Indochina had some scenes filmed in Tam Coc - Bich Dong. After the movie was released, Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist area became known to many international visitors, especially French tourists. Currently, French and European tourists account for 80% of visitors to Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist area, changing the tourist structure here. Previously, there were almost no international tourists.

With the strengths that cinema brings to tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will soon promote a tourism - cinema promotion program in the US, with the participation of famous Hollywood directors and filmmakers. Vietnam will directly introduce to them its potential and strengths to attract filmmakers to invest and film. In return, the films will create an international traditional effect, promoting Vietnamese tourism.

According to Mr. Khanh, Vietnam not only promotes its potential to become a world film studio but also needs to attract tourists through films shot in Vietnam. Forbes magazine pointed out that not all international tourists come to New Zealand because of the Lord of the Rings movie. But 80% of visitors know that the scenes in the film took place in New Zealand. Therefore, the reputation of this country has increased dramatically on the world tourism map.

Also during the discussion, tourism - cinema experts pointed out the difficulties that Vietnam is facing in attracting international filmmakers.

Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Cao Tri Dung said that Vietnam needs to soon have a data set from the national, local and business levels on how to attract filmmakers as well as preferential policies for them. Mr. Dung suggested that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism should take the lead and clearly assign what parties such as localities and businesses need to do to support film crews. In addition, Vietnam has not been proactive in inviting, calling, supporting or introducing itself to international film crews. In addition, it is difficult for us to invite film crews, but it is even more difficult to promote better to related parties.

Chairwoman of the Vietnam Cinema Promotion and Development Association Ngo Phuong Lan pointed out that Thailand attracts 100-200 film crews, large and small, each year. But in Vietnam, the number of film crews coming "is not enough to fill two hands". Ms. Lan commented that film crews coming to film in Vietnam but not receiving incentives will go to places with similar landscapes like Thailand, the Philippines or other countries that welcome them. "Thus, Vietnam loses many customers and should reconsider", Ms. Lan said.

CEO of Oxalis Adventure Nguyen Chau A said that foreign filmmakers really like Vietnam because of its diversity and uniqueness. Vietnam also has the potential to become a newer destination compared to Thailand and the Philippines - places that are too familiar to film studios. Filmmakers want Vietnam to create more favorable conditions in licensing film projects, want to be supported in security and order when filming, maintain confidentiality during filming, and be transparent in business. They also want more tax incentives as well as more production and logistics companies to support professional film crews.

"Vietnam does not have many professional human resources to serve film crews, which also greatly affects grand projects," Mr. A added.

Phương Anh