Image source: Visual China

Blue Whale News, August 22 (Reporter Sun Yu) The popularity of "Black Myth: Wukong" continues, and with the announcement of the game's background locations, the popularity of related tourist attractions has soared. Data shows that the search volume for "Black Myth"-related keywords on the Ctrip platform increased by nearly 300% month-on-month on the first day of the game's launch.

During the game's production, 36 scenic spots nationwide were selected as the game's backdrops, including Chongqing's Dazu Rock Carvings, Shandong's Lingyan Temple, and Hebei's Yuhuang Pavilion. Shanxi boasts up to 27 filming locations, including the Wooden Pagoda in Ying County, Shilou Temple in Xixian County, and Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng, among others.

With a high proportion of filming locations in Shanxi, the province has garnered significant attention. According to Tongcheng Travel data, the search volume for tourism in Shanxi increased by nearly 20% compared to the previous day on the first day of the game's launch, with Jincheng, in particular, experiencing an increase of over 60% in search volume.

Surge in popularity of ancient architecture tourism

During the production of "Black Myth: Wukong," the team's technical staff traveled across the country, scanning real temples, Buddha statues, forests, rocks, and more to create realistic objects, buildings, and landscapes. They even established China's first virtual asset library for ancient architecture.

The meticulous production of the game and the engagement of players have created a "two-way relationship," with the detailed recreation of ancient architectural scenes directly fueling gamers' enthusiasm for ancient architecture tourism in real life.

Fliggy data shows that on the day of the game's launch, the popularity of tourism in Shanxi doubled month-on-month, with notable surges in interest for filming locations such as Yuhuang Temple, Chongfu Temple, Xixian Temple, Tiefo Temple, and Shuanglin Temple. Internet users from Beijing, Zhejiang, Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanghai expressed the strongest desire to "travel with Wukong in Shanxi."

Taking the "Xixian Temple" scenic spot in Shanxi's Xixian County as an example, according to a Beijing News report, the number of tickets sold on August 20th was 300% higher than that of the same day last year. In response to the increased visitor flow, the scenic spot plans to upgrade its smart ticketing system and incorporate game content into its tour guides. Shanxi's cultural tourism authorities capitalized on this momentum, releasing a series of videos titled "Travel with Wukong in Shanxi," which have garnered over ten million views to date.

Image source: Xixian Temple scenic spot in Shanxi's Xixian County

It is worth noting that Shanxi's tourist attractions are relatively scattered, prompting many visitors to opt for self-drive travel. Reflecting this trend, Shanxi Expressway (000755.SZ) saw its share price rise by nearly 30% over three trading days from August 20 to 22. On the evening of August 21, Shanxi Expressway stated on an interactive platform that its main business involves the management and operation of expressways, which cover a vast area rich in red cultural sites, historical relics, natural resources, and tourism resources. The company plans to strengthen the promotion of tourism resources and agricultural products along the expressway routes.

Ctrip and Tongcheng launch "Pilgrimage Routes"

In addition to the 27 ancient architectural attractions featured in the game, data shows that Shanxi boasts 53,875 immovable cultural relics, including 28,027 ancient buildings, and 531 nationally protected historic sites, the highest number in China.

Blue Whale News learned from Tongcheng Travel that a series of maps titled "Discovering the Beauty of Shanxi" have been released to introduce the province's key ancient architectures to tourists. Furthermore, Tongcheng Travel will host an e-sports tournament in Shanxi in September, showcasing local cultural and tourism resources through the game's Shanxi-based hero elements such as Guan Yu and Di Renjie, aiming to attract more young tourists.

"Discovering the Beauty of Shanxi" Ancient Architecture Map; Image source: Tongcheng Travel

Ctrip, meanwhile, launched five ancient architecture tourism routes on August 21, including a 12-day tour of Shanxi and a 3-day tour of Datong, covering multiple filming locations from the game, such as the Yungang Grottoes, Huayan Temple, the Wooden Pagoda in Ying County, and the Hanging Temple. Ctrip told Blue Whale News that its content center currently houses over a hundred Shanxi tourism routes, allowing tourists to choose freely.

12-Day Ancient Architecture Tour of Shanxi; Image source: Ctrip

Tourism attractions compete online for visitors

Tourism consumption encompasses various industries, including food, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, and shopping, significantly boosting regional economies. The popularity of Zibo's barbecue and Tianshui's spicy hot pot have fueled urban economic development. With the success of "Black Myth: Wukong," cultural tourism departments across the country have rushed to "claim" their respective attractions.

The Chongqing Cultural Tourism Department noted that some background scenes were inspired by the Western Pure Land Transformation at Baoding Mountain in Dazu Rock Carvings and the Thousand-Armed Guanyin statue at the same location. The Tianjin Cultural Tourism Department revealed that a scene in the game's official trailer featured the ancient Jiuzhou Dule Temple in Tianjin's Jizhou District as its architectural prototype. The Huaguo Mountain scenic spot in Lianyungang invited gamers everywhere: "From August 22 to December 31 this year, players who complete "Black Myth: Wukong" can receive free admission." The Hangzhou Cultural Tourism Department shared that an image of a mythical beast from the incense burner base at the Jigong Temple in Hangzhou's Lingyin Temple was featured in the game's distant background.

"Wukong" fever stirs up the cultural tourism industry. Cheng Chaogong, Chief Researcher at Tongcheng Research Institute, told Blue Whale News, "Compared to previous game IPs, "Black Myth: Wukong" has successfully 'broken the circle' in its initial promotion, laying a solid foundation for its subsequent secondary development in integration with the cultural tourism industry."

"Leveraging game IPs to develop the tourism industry through filming locations is a relatively basic approach. A more advanced strategy involves deeply developing game IPs, such as creating themed experience projects within relevant scenic spots based on game IPs. These projects often cater well to consumers outside the gaming community."

How can local areas retain this influx of visitors? Cheng Chaogong suggested that in the early stages of a game's popularity, focusing on filming locations to boost local cultural tourism attention is a highly effective strategy. In the short term, local areas need to consider expanding their tourism reception capacity and providing convenient basic service facilities for visitors. In the future, local cultural tourism departments should further explore the value of game IPs and develop replicable development models, such as collaborating closely with game publishers to develop experiential projects based on game levels at filming locations, which can be continuously updated as the game evolves.