Vietnam - a new destination for world cinema
Within the framework of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, taking place from May 13 to 24, 2025 in France, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has chaired and coordinated with the Vietnam Cinema Development Promotion Association and related units to organize the event "Vietnam Cinema Night in Cannes" with the aim of promoting Vietnamese cinema and tourism to international friends.
At the event, Vietnam introduced typical cinematic works and promoted famous tourist destinations such as: Ha Long Bay, Trang An, Son Doong Cave, Sa Pa, Mui Ne and Mekong Delta.
Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, affirmed: Vietnam is a country rich in cultural traditions, possessing majestic natural landscapes, diverse ecosystems and especially kind and open people. Those values are valuable materials for cinema - an art form with the power to spread and connect widely.
According to Mr. Khanh, each land of Vietnam has unique stories and each of them deserves to be told in cinematic language, a language that can touch hearts.
Cinema can turn a small street, a rural market, a breeze or the sight of a simple person into unforgettable memories and impressions in the hearts of global audiences.
The event also introduced the latest films produced in 2024 - 2025, the production capacity of domestic film enterprises, and at the same time promoted outstanding destinations and unique filming locations across the S-shaped strip of land. The strongly conveyed message is: "Vietnam welcomes and is ready to cooperate with international filmmakers".
A year earlier, in an effort to bring the image of Vietnam closer to the international community through cinema, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized a tourism - cinema promotion program in the US with the theme "Vietnam - New Destination of World Cinema", taking place from September 23 to 26, 2024 in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California. The program aims to introduce Vietnam as an attractive destination for both tourism and film production, with the goal of attracting Hollywood film studios to film in Vietnam.
The highlight of the program is the seminar, where the potential of Vietnam's tourism and cinema is introduced in detail. American filmmakers attending the workshop expressed their impression of the development potential of Vietnamese cinema, affirming that this is an ideal destination for international projects.
Cinema tours - from Hollywood to Netflix
When majestic, romantic or cultural scenes of Vietnam appear on the global big screen, they immediately become the most vivid invitation, stimulating the curiosity and desire to explore of millions of audiences. At the same time, Vietnam becoming a filming location also brings direct economic benefits through film production services, job creation and investment attraction.
One of the clearest evidences of the effectiveness of this strategy is when the Hollywood blockbuster Kong: Skull Island 2017 by director Jordan Vogt-Roberts officially premiered in more than 80 countries. Few people expected that an important part of the film would be filmed in three magnificent locations of Vietnam: Quang Binh, Ninh Binh and Ha Long. In particular, Trang An scenic spot in Ninh Binh, chosen as the setting for the mysterious world of "Dau Lau Island", has become an unprecedented tourism boost.
After the film was released, the number of international visitors to Ninh Binh increased sharply. In 2017, the number of visitors increased by nearly 50% compared to the previous year, especially guests from markets such as Korea, USA, UK and France - places where the audience of the film was large. On international travel forums, the phrase "Skull Island in Vietnam" and "Trang An Boat Tour Kong" have become a popular search keyword.
Not only a filming location, Trang An quickly built a " Kong Theater" to restore the setting of the indigenous village in the film with a nearly 10m high King Kong statue, a painting house, tents, and a behind-the-scenes exhibition area.
This is a unique initiative coordinated by Ninh Binh province with film production units to preserve the long-term value of the film crew to develop cultural tourism - cinema. Many tourists come to the place to admire the majestic beauty they have seen on screen, creating a clear "follow the movie" effect.
The success of Kong: Skull Island not only made the majestic natural image of Vietnam spread globally but also showed an effective model in sharing hands between international filmmakers and the Vietnamese tourism industry.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism later used this case as a typical example to promote the National Strategy on the Development of the Film Industry, emphasizing the role of cinema associated with tourism as a strategic and sustainable direction.
In recent years, with the development of online platforms, Vietnamese cinema has had more opportunities to reach international audiences. A Tourists Guide to Love, a romantic comedy produced and recently released by Netflix, is another vivid example. This is the first international work licensed by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to be filmed entirely in Vietnam after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film took the audience through a journey to discover the beauty stretching from vibrant Ho Chi Minh City to poetic Hoi An ancient town, majestic passes of Ha Giang, and ancient features of Hanoi. A Tourist's Guide to Love not only realistically recreates famous scenic spots but also depicts the beauty of Vietnamese people and culture, contributing to spreading the image of the country in a close and attractive way to millions of viewers worldwide through the Netflix platform.
Movies released in over 190 countries, helping to promote the image of Vietnam as a destination
romantic, safe and rich cultural experiences. According to data from Google Trends, the number of searches for travel to Vietnam in the US and Europe increased sharply after the film was released, showing a profound promotional effect.
In addition to movies, many famous Korean reality TV shows also chose Vietnam as filming location such as: "We got married" (Hoi An, Da Nang), "Youth over flowers" (Hanoi, Sa Pa), Law of the Jungle (Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa).
These programs are broadcast on major TV stations such as MBC, tvN, SBS, contributing to bringing the image of Vietnam closer to the Korean public - one of Vietnam's largest tourist markets.
The above stories not only affirm the potential for cooperation between cinema and tourism but also open up a direction for sustainable development, in which cinema becomes the "ambassador" of Vietnamese tourism on the international map.
And efforts to link domestic cinema and tourism
In recent years, the Kite Awards ceremony, an annual event organized by the Vietnam Cinema Association, has not only been a place to honor outstanding films and television works but also increasingly affirmed its role as a strategic bridge between cinema and tourism.
Nha Trang's continuous hosting of the Kite Awards is not only an occasion to honor art but also a part of the local tourism development strategy. The city has proactively invested in infrastructure for cinema, typically the construction of the famous Wall in Do Theater Square, which honors outstanding works and individuals who have won the Golden Kite Award over the past two decades.
The Kite Awards Ceremony in Nha Trang has become a symbol of the successful combination of cinema and tourism, opening up new directions for the Vietnamese film industry. Through this event, Nha Trang not only promotes the image of a beautiful coastal city but also strengthens its position as an attractive destination, attracting domestic and foreign filmmakers and tourists.
In addition to the Vietnam Film Association, over the past 3 years, the Vietnam Film Institute has actively connected cinema with tourism through seminars, forums, and exhibitions to contribute to building a national film industry development strategy. Typically, in September 2024, the Institute organized a workshop on "Tourism, Cinema and Sports: Creating the future - Long-term journey together" in Binh Dinh.
Previously, in June 2023, the "Vietnam Tourism and Cinema - Connecting to the far" Forum in Khanh Hoa gathered many filmmakers, tourism businesses and diplomatic representatives to discuss the potential for tourism promotion through cinema.
In particular, during the National Film Festival or the Kite Award of the Cinema Association, the Institute has regularly organized documentary exhibitions of animated films, introducing filming locations in many regions, contributing to spreading the beauty of Vietnam.
Strategy and challenges
The outstanding successes of international film projects, along with events promoting the country's image through the unique combination of cinema and tourism at major international film festivals, have affirmed Vietnam's strategic vision.
This solid foundation was built from the synchronous efforts of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the National Tourism Department of Vietnam, the Vietnam Film Development Promotion Association, along with the important contribution of the Vietnam Film Institute, the Vietnam Cinema Department and the Vietnam Cinema Association in organizing extensive connection activities of these two fields.
Actively participating in world-leading film festivals such as Cannes, in parallel with organizing a series of forums and seminars, has contributed to strongly introducing the potential of film settings and film production resources in Vietnam to the world.
In particular, tourism - cinema promotion programs in key markets such as the US, with the message "Vietnam - New Destination for World Cinema", not only invite tourists but also attract the attention of leading international filmmakers, directors and actors.
However, for this strategy to develop sustainably, the requirement is closer coordination between management agencies, filmmakers and the tourism industry. Completing policies and legal frameworks to attract international film crews, as well as investing in production infrastructure and developing film tourism products, will be key factors.
With proactive steps and proven success stories, Vietnam is gradually positioning itself not only as an attractive tourist destination but also an ideal filming location, opening a new era for sustainable cooperation between these two potential industries.
