The China Tourism Academy pointed out in its report that the integration of game IPs and tourism, making tourism game-like and games offline, is the main driving force for pushing game users to become tourists. The close connection between game IP content creation and tourist destinations can alleviate the psychological distance of tourists to the destination, strengthen the attractiveness of the tourist destination, and provide more possibilities for the transformation of tourism motivation into behavior. From the perspective of tourists, the content of game IPs can trigger the travel decisions and consumption interests of potential tourists at multiple points. Once tourists arrive offline, the content ecosystem surrounding the IP will strengthen tourists' sensory, cognitive, and social experiences, and use digital platforms to provide diverse outlets and convenience for consumption.

To put it bluntly, "Culture and Tourism + Games" requires a systematic marketing strategy, namely the linkage between online and offline, and the integration of games and scenic areas, where the offline role is significantly higher than the online role. According to the special survey data of the China Tourism Academy, 88% of game users are willing to participate in offline scene experiences and activities, such as cross-dimensional offline linkage activities of game IPs, cosplay exhibitions, and watching e-sports events. The purposes of players' willingness to participate in offline activities include interacting with game characters, exchanging experiences with players, and exchanging game experience and design concepts with game developers.

Image: Experience Activity Focus Table of Game IPs | Source: The Paper

In other words, scenic areas need to deeply restore game scenes and design corresponding interactive links based on the emotional needs of players. Here, we can actually refer to the practices of Disney and Universal Studios, using animation and film and television IPs to form in-depth interaction with tourists through parades, performances, and amusement facilities, satisfying their emotional value, rather than simply focusing on spatial layout.

The China Tourism Academy's survey also verified this point: tourists' perception evaluation of the game IP on-site activities or scenes they have participated in is only at a moderately high level, only "able to meet the reality fantasy of the game" and "meet their own spiritual needs" reach the "basically beyond expectations" range. In terms of immersive experience, scene restoration, story coherence, and cross-dimensional sense of crossing, the satisfaction and sense of gain are not very high. The root cause is mainly due to the incoherence of the game storyline, the inability to obtain an immersive experience, the lack of favorite characters in the game events, and the insufficient restoration of game scenes, characters, and game items.

Imagine that if a scenic area opens a game IP theme area, using high-precision restoration of game scenes, in-depth interaction between performers and players, and stimulating experiences of amusement facilities, what it leverages is not just game players, but ordinary tourists are also willing to participate and even share on social platforms, thus achieving the breakout of "Culture and Tourism + Games." Moreover, with the brand and traffic advantages of game IPs and cultural and tourism IPs, high-quality online and offline linkage is also more efficient in marketing and promotion. Even with the output of cultural and tourism IPs and the sales of game IP derivatives, scenic areas may be able to achieve innovation in business models.

Three Major Advantages of Game IPs Empowering Cultural and Tourism

Game IPs empower cultural and tourism by deeply integrating the core elements of games, such as characters, plots, and worldviews, with the cultural, historical, and scenic resources of tourist destinations.

Integrating game IPs into scenic area scene designs, such as theme parks, theme hotels, and theme restaurants, can create on-site script games and immersive experience projects through various forms such as developing clothing, props, and game mechanisms, thereby enriching the consumption experience of tourists.

Through the construction of digital cultural and tourism scenes, activities, exhibitions, and interactive experiences related to game IPs, launching a large number of game IP peripheral products (toys, clothing, hand-made models, etc.), and co-branding with other brands, game IPs enhance the interactive experience of offline cultural and tourism scenes and realize the "transition" from online to offline.

Integrating game IPs into local tourism resources and cultural characteristics, innovatively creating experiential and interactive new tourism scenes, while bringing tourists or game users a brand-new tourism consumption experience, can also enhance the attractiveness and awareness of the destination.

Image: "The Blade and Soul" Daxianxi Cultural and Tourism Line | Source: Public Network

Furong Town, Hunan, is a benchmark for the integration of "games + cultural tourism." Furong Town is an ancient town with a history of more than 2,000 years. It is also known as the "ancient town hanging on the waterfall" because of the waterfall passing through the town and the stilted buildings hanging on the cliff. Yongshun County, where Furong Town is located, is the county with the most intangible cultural heritage in Xiangxi, covering ten categories including traditional literature, arts, and music, with 1016 items, and 10 have been declared and selected into the national intangible cultural heritage protection list.

On June 22, China's first game entity home, "Tianyi Courtyard," settled in Furong Town. Furong Town's "Tianyi Courtyard" highly restores the scenes in the game "The Blade and Soul," while integrating the architectural characteristics of the Tujia people in Furong Town. It is a national-style building with both strength and beauty. In addition to the offline entity "Tianyi Courtyard," the game "The Blade and Soul" also incorporates Xilan Kapu and wax-printing elements, and simultaneously sets the "Tianyi Courtyard" plot, allowing game players to fully experience the architectural style and humanistic characteristics of Xiangxi.

Image: "Tianyi Courtyard" | Source: Furong Town Scenic Area, Hunan

Furong Town adopts different collaboration methods with different game IPs. For example, the collaboration with Tianya Mingyue Dao mainly involves an offline recreation of game scenes, while the collaboration with the mobile game Xue Ying Ling Zhu is based on Xiangxi intangible cultural heritage, using a new model of cultural tourism + intangible cultural heritage + games to integrate games with cultural tourism resources and intangible cultural heritage projects into an ecological experience. CrossFire uses an esports + cultural tourism approach, holding the CrossFire Hundred Cities League Hunan Division Finals in Furong Ancient Town to encourage player participation and enhance their sense of involvement.

Guangdong's cultural tourism cleverly integrates elements from Honor of Kings, perfectly combining game elements such as the Luban lion dance skin and Bruce Lee skin with Guangdong's lion dance culture and Lingnan martial arts culture. The dancing lion and exquisite Chinese Kung Fu shine together, while various Guangdong delicacies make people drool, jointly showcasing the extraordinary charm of "Vibrant Guangdong".

Image: Guangdong Cultural Tourism X Honor of Kings | Source: Public Network

Guangdong's cultural tourism also joined hands with Yuan Meng Zhi Xing, using creative levels to guide players to unlock iconic buildings and popular scenic spots such as Maoming Yueya Bay, Zhanjiang Donghai Island, Yangjiang Beiluo Secret Realm, Shanwei Honghaiwan Ancient Castle, Meizhou Chinese Immigrant Memorial Square, and Guangzhou Tower, bringing the public a unique sightseeing journey.

Image: Guangdong Cultural Tourism X Yuan Meng Zhi Xing | Source: Public Network

Image: Liaoning Cultural Tourism X Teamfight Tactics | Source: Public Network

Combining the national style bonds of the game Teamfight Tactics, it showcases the unique charm of "Vast Sky and Peaceful Land" of Liaoning. Through the guidance of the game's scroll, Liaoning's landscape paintings and cultural characteristics are vividly displayed, allowing people to experience the spirit of heaven and earth in Liaoning in the game's world.

Hebei's cultural tourism took a creative approach, "inviting" the male protagonist from the game Light and Night to have a dialogue, carefully planning a "Light Escape Plan Hebei Five-Day Tour" activity.

Image: Hebei Cultural Tourism X Light and Night | Source: Public Network

Hebei's Chengde Mountain Resort, Shanhaiguan Scenic Area, and other attractions made appearances, introduced by the game's male protagonist, presenting beautiful scenery. Tourists can seem to travel through Hebei's beautiful mountains and rivers along with the game's male protagonists.

According to reports from China Tourism News, Anhui Province, in order to accelerate the digital transformation of its cultural tourism industry, views games as an important vehicle for cultural dissemination and tourism promotion, and many well-known scenic spots in the province have joined hands with games.

Image: Huangshan Scenic Area X Tianya Mingyue Dao | Source: Public Network

Huangshan Scenic Area, together with Tencent's Tianya Mingyue Dao, launched the game sect "Changsheng Sword Sect," integrating the magnificent scenery of Huangshan, such as "Dream Pen Blossoms," unique pines, strange rocks, clouds, and snow, into the game scenes.

Image: Xuancheng Cultural Tourism X Honor of Kings | Source: Public Network

Xuancheng Cultural Tourism joined hands with Tencent to launch the Honor of Kings: Chapter of Glory, Broken Moon Chapter 3D animated series, deeply integrating Jingting Mountain and Taohua Lake, where Li Bai traveled, with the game IP.