Editor's note: A popular movie or TV drama has the power to make a city famous and generate a tourism boom. For audiences, a favorite movie or TV series can transform into a travel guide, as immersing oneself in the storyline has become a new travel trend for many.

Moviegoers are no longer content with merely watching the show on screen, and eager to step into the scenes and experience the daily lives of the characters. Over the past year, several films and TV dramas have put their shooting locations into the public spotlight. Let's take a look.

1. Dali in Yunnan province

With the premiere of the TV drama Meet Yourself earlier last year, the Dali Bai autonomous prefecture in Southwest China's Yunnan province emerged as a highly sought-after tourism destination.

The drama was filmed in Dali, showcasing main locations such as Erhai Lake, Dali Ancient Town, Fengyangyi village, Shaxi Ancient Town and Xizhou Town.

The idyllic scenery and relaxing pace of life depicted in the drama proved to be a soothing balm for many, leading to a tourism boom in Dali during the Spring Festival holidays. Dali's state officials even issued a statement praising the drama for its significant contribution to the local tourism industry.

According to statistics, during the Spring Festival holiday, Yunnan province received the second most tourists in the nation with a tourism revenue of 38.4 billion yuan ($5.35 billion), ranking top. Among this, Dali received 4.24 million tourists, marking a remarkable 219 percent increase compared to the previous year.

2. Jiangmen in Guangdong province

Thanks to the success of the hit show The Knockout, Jiangmen in Guangdong province soared as a prominent tourism destination last year, where the drama was filmed.

As a prominent hometown for many overseas Chinese, the city boasts historical cultural street scenes, exotic South Asian-style architecture, and a diverse array of flavorful snacks, attracting a throng of tourists and TV fans.

Data from the local culture and tourism department reveals a remarkable 217 percent month-on-month increase in searches related to tourism in the city in February. Currently, travel bookings witnessed a substantial 144 percent month-on-month rise.

Besides, a statement issued by the city government in March last year reported that the city recorded more than 3.34 million trips in January and February, up 67.8 percent year-on-year, and the trips generated over 3.4 billion yuan of tourism income for the city, reflecting a notable rise of 124.3 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

3. Taiyuan Ancient County in Shanxi province

Full River Red, the highest-grossing blockbuster during last year's Spring Festival, has set the Taiyaun Ancient County in Shanxi on fire with excitement. The film was directed by iconic director Zhang Yimou and draws inspiration from a famous poem by the patriotic general Yue Fei of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

Filmed within a residential compound made up of five enclosed courtyards in an ancient town relic site in Jinyuan district, Taiyuan city, Shanxi province, the movie captures the essence of the country's intricate, winding alleyways and distinctive ancient courtyards, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

From Jan 21 to 31, the county witnessed an influx of over 400,000 tourists, a significant surge compared to the about 180,000 visitors during the previous Spring Festival holiday. Notably, one-third of these tourists were from outside Shanxi province, according to local statistics.

4. Qingdao in Shandong province

Another high-grossing film during last year's Spring Festival was The Wandering Earth 2, a sci-fi prequel exploring digital life and interstellar journey. The movie showcases impressive and grand sci-fi scenes. Interestingly, many may not know that, aside from some scenes shot overseas, 90 percent of the film was actually shot in Qingdao city of East China's Shandong province.

For example, the expansive bridge featured at the beginning of the film was the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, known as the world's longest cross-sea bridge. The vast training base scene in the film was primarily set up at Qingdao's Liuting Airport, retired in August 2021. Additionally, the TAG Art Museum, situated on the south bank of Tangdao Bay in Qingdao West Coast New District, served as the shooting location for some of the future scenes set in 2065.

For sci-fi fans or film enthusiasts, visiting Qingdao to explore the movie's filming locations has become a popular trend.

5. Ningbo Museum in Zhejiang province

With the broadcast of the TV drama Three-Body Problem, adapted from the novel of the same name, Ningbo Museum, the primary setting for the film's operation center, has garnered significant attention.

Designed by Wang Shu, the first Chinese architect to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the museum stands as a representative work of his career. Blending regional cultural features, traditional architectural elements, and modern techniques, the structure serves as a vessel for history and culture.

In the TV drama, the Ningbo Museum is prominently featured in exterior scenes, showcasing the outdoor staircase on the third floor, and an open-air platform where characters engage in thought-provoking dialogues, symbolizing the wheels of the thought universe.

The architecture's distinctive design, characterized by irregular building facades, imparts a sense of technology. This uniqueness likely influenced the TV production's choice of the location, as explained by Zhang Liang, the curator of Ningbo Museum.

Following the TV show's release, visitor numbers soared to 50,000 during the Spring Festival, marking a remarkable 220 percent year-on-year increase. Even after the festival, there was a consistent daily influx of 2,000 to 3,000 visitors, according to Ningbo Evening News.

6. Shanghai

Shanghai, often hailed as the "magic city" in China, has once again captured the public's attention with the recent popularity of the TV series Blossoms Shanghai. Key filming locations such as Huanghe Road, Peace Hotel, and Tai Sheng Yuan restaurant have emerged as highly sought-after tourist destinations. Dishes featured in the show, such as Spare Ribs with Rice Cakes and Stir-fried Rice Noodles with Beef, have become culinary favorites among tourists exploring Shanghai.

The iconic No. 27 on the Bund, where Miss Wang worked in the TV series, has transformed into Jiushi Art Museum, while the Pujiang Hotel (also known as Richard's Hotel) has found new life as the location of the China Securities Museum.

Since the release of the TV drama in December last year, searches for hotels along Nanjing Road and its surrounding areas have witnessed a steady increase.

According to Xinhua New Agency, data from Shanghai's tourism monitoring reveals that the city welcomed 7.2 million tourists, a year-on-year increase of 16.27 percent during the holiday. This surge in visitors contributed to a tourism consumption of 11.8 billion yuan, showcasing a significant growth of 24 percent.