Vietnam in film focus: tourist rush thanks to new blockbusters!

Vietnam in film focus: tourist rush thanks to new blockbusters!

During the “Vietnamese Cinema Night” new films were presented in Vietnam, appealing to both local and international filmmakers. The event was part of an initiative aimed at promoting international collaborations in the film sector. Vietnam saw a surge in tourism in the first four months of 2025, with over 6 million international visitors in the first quarter. This growth can also be attributed to the influence of films shot in tourist locations and attracting interest from tourists. Ninh Binh in particular stands out as this region is often used as a backdrop for blockbuster films such as “Kong: Skull Island”.

The number of visitors to filming locations increases significantly after well-known films are released. In particular, the film “Bo Gia” by Tran Thanh has increased interest in the ancient culture of Saigon. Nguyen Trung Khanh, director of the Vietnam Tourism Authority, highlights Vietnam's cultural and natural resources, which are considered the country's treasures. In fact, Vietnam's natural resources rank 26th in the world, while its cultural resources rank 28th.

Tourism and film industry

The success of films like Kong: Skull Island has highlighted Vietnam's potential as a filming location for Hollywood productions. This shows how important the film industry is for tourist attraction. Similar to Korea, which attracts tourists through cultural connections to films and K-pop culture, Vietnam is increasingly seen as an attractive location for film production in Asia. Experts emphasize the importance of integrating tourism messages into films without losing artistic value. Notably, 70% of tourists travel independently, highlighting the need for strong destination branding.

In order to further develop tourism opportunities, Vietnam's unique landscape also plays an important role. Three quarters of Vietnam's territory consists of mountains and plateaus, while rice fields dominate the landscape. These rice fields have a fascinating variety of green tones that change depending on the season. Vietnam's fertile river deltas support up to three harvests per year, but harvesting is hard manual labor as machines are rarely used. The rhythm of life of the rural population is largely determined by the cycles of agriculture.

Cultural Aspects and Societal Challenges

The level of education in Vietnam is traditionally high, but there is still a gap between the urban and rural population. While school attendance is compulsory, many rural families cannot afford the costs of school supplies. This leads to children often being used as workers. In the countryside, life follows old traditions, whereas cities like Hanoi and Saigon have modernized. However, Saigon, which was renamed "Ho Chi Minh City" in 1976, remains known as Saigon in everyday life and is often referred to as the "frivolous niece" of Hanoi because life is seemingly easier there.

The challenges that Vietnam has to overcome in the transition to a market economy should not be underestimated, despite the socialist state system. The younger generation in particular is influenced by foreign influences and shows an interest in Western culture, which leads to tensions between generations and questions of national identity. The idea of ​​freedom has changed in the country, from national independence to individual freedom, which is an interesting social development.

All in all, it shows that Vietnam is booming in the film and tourism scene and can use its cultural riches to become internationally visible as an attractive destination. Further developments could help continue and strengthen this trend.

For more information, visit the articles below vietnam.vn and planet-wissen.de.