ABSTRACT
The concept of film-related tourism gained increasing recognition in the field of tourism research in the early 2000s, with knowledge derived primarily from case studies. Film studios are one of the most popular cases that are discussed and analysed in this research area. This study examines the development and management of film-related tourism at Hengdian World Studios, the world’s largest outdoor film studio and film-based theme park in China. The Studios reconstructs historical landscapes, streetscapes, and imperial and folk architectures spanning centuries of Chinese history, simulating real heritage sites for screen media productions and tourism purposes. Based on data collected from ethnographic methods in the research settings between 2018 and 2021 and online interviews with ten tourists who have visited the Studios previously, this chapter will investigate the main characteristics of the Studios’ film-related tourism with the design of Chinese cultural and heritage features and tourists’ travel experiences at the Studios. It contributes to an understanding of the role of the Chinese government in influencing the Studios’ development and management of film-related tourism and tourists’ perception of film-related tourism with the design of cultural and heritage features.
