With its diverse urban landscapes, from historic architecture to skyscrapers, Guangdong Province has become a popular filming destination for films and TV series, with some of the best-known examples including The Knockout. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Guangdong is turning movie screens into travel maps.
From television dramas and blockbuster films to celebrity-led variety shows, the southern province is increasingly blending entertainment with tourism, hoping audiences inspired by what they watch will visit the real-life locations behind the stories. The strategy—part cultural showcase, part commercial push—is already generating strong online sales and renewed interest in destinations across the region.
One of the latest examples is Yue Travel Players, a micro-variety show jointly produced by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province and the China Movie Channel.
Featuring celebrities from the entertainment and sports industries, the series follows them across cities as they explore local cuisine, cultural heritage and filming locations tied to Guangdong's growing screen industry.
One episode takes viewers to Shenzhen Qianhai Huafa Snow World, one of the world's largest indoor ski resorts, spanning 430,000 square meters. Here, artificial slopes and powdery snow create an alpine escape in the heart of southern China's subtropical climate.
For Ahmed Mohammed Jaber Alkalthoom, a 31-year-old Iraqi influencer known to his 12.5 million Douyin followers as "Lao Wang", the visit became an unforgettable first encounter with snow. In Chinese, "Lao" followed by a surname is a warm, familiar form of addressing someone.
Wobbling through his first skiing lesson—and taking several hard falls along the way—Alkalthoom remained undeterred. He was joined by another "Lao Wang": Hong Kong actor, singer and television host Wong Cho-lam, whose easy humor kept the mood lighthearted.
Their snowy adventure opens Yue Travel Players.
After the physically demanding ski session, the pair quickly pivots to a more familiar southern pastime: food. In Shenzhen's Shekou area, they visit a bustling seafood market, bargaining enthusiastically with vendors before securing a discount on two large mantis shrimps, each nearly the length of a forearm.
That blend of experiences runs throughout the show. The first season comprises five episodes and features more than 10 celebrities from the entertainment and sports industries traveling across six cities—including Guangzhou and Foshan—to sample local specialties and explore regional traditions.
Cultural heritage is another key thread. Cantonese Opera, one of China's most influential traditional art forms, takes center stage as actress Guan Yue and track-and-field athlete Lin Yuwei learn and perform a scene from the classic Di Nyu Hua (The Flower Princess) at a museum in Guangzhou.
The story recounts the tragic fate of Princess Changping, daughter of the last Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) emperor, and her husband, who chose death over submission to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911).
Food, however, remains a constant highlight. Signature Cantonese dishes—from char siu (barbecued pork) to stir-fried fresh milk and marinated Shitou (lion-head) goose—are woven into the journeys, reinforcing Guangdong's long-standing reputation as a culinary destination.
Tony Leung Ka-fai takes selfies with fans in May. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Producer Fan Wen says preparation for the series began in November last year, with each 15-minute episode distilled from more than eight hours of footage filmed over a single day.
"We want to showcase the unique appeal of travel and culture, covering as many perspectives as possible. We hope the program can become a welcoming window for foreigners to develop an interest in and learn more about the country," she says, adding that celebrity participation also helps expand the show's domestic influence.
Results suggest the strategy is working. Guangdong authorities say related initiatives have generated more than 1.18 billion yuan ($163 million) in gross merchandise value from 16.59 million orders on Douyin, where the show and its affiliated content are streamed.
The province's cultural and tourism momentum was also evident during the recent May Day holiday, when Guangdong ranked as the highest-grossing province, earning 138 million yuan—about 20 percent of the country's total film ticket revenues—between May 1 and 5. Two of the holiday's most acclaimed releases—Cold War 1994 and Dear You—both have strong ties to Guangdong, further reinforcing the link between screen culture and tourism.
Cold War 1994, the prequel and third installment in the long-running franchise, held its global premiere in Shenzhen ahead of the holiday. The event brought together a star-studded cast including Chow Yun-fat, Aaron Kwok, Tony Leung Ka-fai and Daniel Wu, while its original Cantonese dubbing stirred nostalgia for the golden age of Hong Kong cinema.
Meanwhile, Dear You delves into a 40-year-old family secret shaped by the hardships faced by overseas laborers from the Chaoshan region. The film has resonated strongly with local audiences, vividly capturing the region's distinctive traditions, architecture and everyday life in Shantou, Chaozhou and Jieyang.
In an earlier interview, Leung recalled his long connection with the province, having filmed multiple projects there, including the action blockbuster The Shadow's Edge, which earned him his fifth Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor. "Guangdong has always been one of the country's most important movie markets. Its landscapes, hospitality and warmth have found their way into many films and television dramas," he said.
With "set-jetting"—traveling to real-world locations featured on screen—emerging as a popular trend, the production team plans to lean further into the concept in the show's second season. "Travel with movies" will serve as a central theme, according to Fan.
Several well-known productions already offer inspiration. Zhang Yimou's espionage thriller Scare Out was filmed among Shenzhen's skyscrapers; Jia Ling shot jogging sequences for her directorial debut YOLO in Dongguan; and actor Zhang Songwen filmed a memorable scene eating pig's knuckle noodles in Jiangmen for the hit series The Knockout.
"We plan to invite young actors to take on roles such as director, screenwriter or cinematographer to re-create some classic scenes, and hope to give audiences a stronger sense of connection and resonance," she says.
Actress Guan Yue (right) learns Cantonese Opera in Guangzhou. [Photo provided to China Daily]
With its diverse urban landscapes, from historic architecture to skyscrapers, Guangdong Province has become a popular filming destination for films and TV series, with some of the best-known examples including Dear You. [Photo provided to China Daily]
With its diverse urban landscapes, from historic architecture to skyscrapers, Guangdong province has become a popular filming destination for films and TV series, with some of the best-known examples including Scare Out. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Ahmed Mohammed Jaber Alkalthoom (left in top photo) and Wong Cho-lam try out various experiences in Guangdong Province for a reality show. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Ahmed Mohammed Jaber Alkalthoom (left in top photo) and Wong Cho-lam try out various experiences in Guangdong Province for a reality show. [Photo provided to China Daily]
