Go beyond the screen: Fun activities during eight-day holidays

We've all got that urge for wanderlust after a trip to the movies. In China, "Row to Win" is one of the films that ignited the desire for travel and exploration in the country's National Day and Mid-Autumn holidaymakers.

Two of its filming locations in east China's Fujian Province – Shishi city and Wulin village – are fast becoming popular spots for travelers eager to experience local culture. In just the first two days of the holiday, the coastal area featured in the movie drew around 130,000 visitors – nearly 30 percent more than the same period last year, according to the Shishi Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. 

The film, "The Volunteers: Peace at Last," shot at a film base in Shangrao city, Jiangxi Province, has inspired the development of curated one-day and two-day tour routes. These itineraries connect various filming locations, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the movie's world. Additionally, tourists can use their movie tickets or base admission tickets to enjoy discounts at partner hotels, restaurants, and homestays.

Film sets and studios are becoming more popular travel destinations. While some visitors go to scenic spots after watching a movie, others are attracted to cinemas after visiting film-related attractions.

As of 6 p.m. on October 7, the total box office revenue (including pre-sales) for the 2025 National Day film season had exceeded 1.7 billion yuan ($238.8 million). As of October 2, the total box office revenue for 2025 had surpassed 42.502 billion yuan (about $6 billion), surpassing the full-year total box office for 2024.

Beyond the traditional cinema experience, Extended Reality (XR), which encompasses technologies that alter reality, including Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), is transforming how audiences engage with films. 

By wearing XR headsets, visitors can "step into" Langlang Mountain and go on an adventure alongside their favorite movie characters. 

At Beijing's 798 Art Zone, the Super Dimension VR Cinema provides a first-person view of scenes from the animated film, "Nobody." Currently, these VR and XR experiences for "Nobody" are available in over 60 locations nationwide.

(Cover: People visit a cinema in Shenyang city, northeast China's Liaoning Province, October 7, 2025. /VCG)