Guangdong is turning movie screens into travel maps.
From television dramas and blockbuster films to celebrity-led variety shows, the southern province is increasingly blending entertainment with tourism, hoping audiences inspired by what they watch will visit the real-life locations behind the stories. The strategy — part cultural showcase, part commercial push — is already generating strong online sales and renewed interest in destinations across the region.
One of the latest examples is Yue Travel Players, a micro-variety show jointly produced by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province and the China Movie Channel.
Featuring celebrities from the entertainment and sports industries, the series follows them across cities as they explore local cuisine, cultural heritage and filming locations tied to Guangdong's growing screen industry.
One episode takes viewers to Shenzhen Qianhai Huafa Snow World, one of the world's largest indoor ski resorts, spanning 430,000 square meters. Here, artificial slopes and powdery snow create an alpine escape in the heart of southern China's subtropical climate.
For Ahmed Mohammed Jaber Alkalthoom, a 31-year-old Iraqi influencer known to his 12.5 million Douyin followers as "Lao Wang", the visit became an unforgettable first encounter with snow. In Chinese, "Lao" followed by a surname is a warm, familiar form of addressing someone.
Wobbling through his first skiing lesson — and taking several hard falls along the way — Alkalthoom remained undeterred. He was joined by another "Lao Wang": Hong Kong actor, singer and television host Wong Cho-lam, whose easy humor kept the mood lighthearted.
Their snowy adventure opens Yue Travel Players.
After the physically demanding ski session, the pair quickly pivots to a more familiar southern pastime: food. In Shenzhen's Shekou area, they visit a bustling seafood market, bargaining enthusiastically with vendors before securing a discount on two large mantis shrimps, each nearly the length of a forearm.
That blend of experiences runs throughout the show. The first season comprises five episodes and features more than 10 celebrities from the entertainment and sports industries traveling across six cities — including Guangzhou and Foshan — to sample local specialties and explore regional traditions.
Cultural heritage is another key thread. Cantonese Opera, one of China's most influential traditional art forms, takes center stage as actress Guan Yue and track-and-field athlete Lin Yuwei learn and perform a scene from the classic Di Nyu Hua (The Flower Princess) at a museum in Guangzhou.
The story recounts the tragic fate of Princess Changping, daughter of the last Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) emperor, and her husband, who chose death over submission to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Food, however, remains a constant highlight. Signature Cantonese dishes — from char siu (barbecued pork) to stir-fried fresh milk and marinated Shitou (lion-head) goose — are woven into the journeys, reinforcing Guangdong's long-standing reputation as a culinary destination.
