Cinema expected to help attract more international tourists

Although the country is considered to be attractive to world filmmakers, yet the connection between cinema and tourism remain loose.

With efforts to promote the connection, Vietnam hopes to boost tourism through cinema activities. With beautiful landscapes stretching from the North to the South and many unique cultural heritages, Vietnam has great potential to promote tourism through cinema.

Vietnam has been chosen as a filming location for famous films namely "The Lover", "Indochina", "The Quiet American", "Pan", and "Kong: Skull Islands". Through these films, Vietnam is known to more international tourists.

For example, after the release of the film “Indochina” in 1992 with some scenes filmed in Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh province), Thai Hoa Palace, Tu Duc Tomb (Thua Thien -Hue province), and Tam Coc - Bich Dong (Ninh Binh province), the number of European tourists, especially French holidaymakers, has increased sharply, accounting for 80% of international visitors to the Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist area.

The film “Kong: Skull Islands” in 2017 is also said to help increase the number of international visitors to Trang An in the northern province of Ninh Binh and Ha Long in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that, among the 12 fields of the cultural industry, cinema and tourism are the two key industries. Their connection will be an important driving force for economic development. The cinema-tourism connection is an inevitable trend to effectively develop and promote tourism, he said.

Nicholas Simon, Founder and Managing Partner of Indochina Productions – a renowned film production in Hollywood, said that Vietnam has a lot of potential to become a world film studio with many places possibly being used as backdrops for filming scenes such as Ha Long Bay, Hoi An or Hanoi.

In addition, Vietnamese people are very hospitable while the working environment is pleasant, which are among reasons why international filmmakers want to come to Vietnam.

On September 25, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism organised a programme to promote Vietnamese tourism and cinema in the US with the theme "Vietnam - New Destination of World Cinema". The event was expected to open the door for cooperation between world filmmakers and Vietnam, thereby increasing the country's attraction.

During the event, many memoranda of understanding on cooperation in tourism and cinema between agencies, localities, Vietnamese enterprises and US partners were signed. Notably, the People's Committee of Quang Binh province and Vietnam Airlines signed a cooperation agreement with Indochina Productions; and the Vietnam Cinema Association signed an agreement with the Asian World Film Festival (AWFF).

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong said that the cooperation between Vietnamese and US filmmakers paves the way for Vietnam to become a leading destination for US filmmakers. Vietnam is ready to cooperate with foreign partners in film projects, he added.

At Vietnam’s tourism - cinema promotion programme in the US, Vietnamese and international experts agreed that there is great potential to promote tourism - cinema development in Vietnam. However, the Vietnamese market still has many shortcomings and obstacles. For example, there is not much information about Vietnam.

Director Nicholas Simon from Indochina Productions suggested that Vietnam should have preferential policies, reduce costs and administrative procedures for filmmakers.

Phillip Noyce, Director of the film "The Quiet American", added that Vietnam needs to train professional human resources and favourable conditions for the cinema industry.

Phong said that that Vietnam is making efforts to simplify filming licences, provide tax incentives, and necessary support for international film crews.

With cooperation programmes signed by Vietnamese localities, companies and foreign partners, it is hoped that in the coming time, there will be more international film crews coming to Vietnam, bringing opportunities for Vietnam to promote its tourism./.