Red Army film Crossing sparks tourism boom in Guizhou

The Red Army-themed film Crossing has dominated China's box office, holding the single-day top spot for several consecutive days since its release on June 26, while also triggering a wave of tourism to Guizhou province, where much of the film was shot.

The momentum has been amplified by local promotional policies that have linked movie ticket stubs with travel discounts and free entry to major scenic sites.

Data from ticketing platform Maoyan shows that as of Thursday, the film had generated more than 139 million yuan ($20.48 million) in box-office revenue, making it the highest-grossing domestic war film in China so far this year.

The film centers on the Red Army's four crossings of the Chishui River during the Long March (1934-36), a pivotal military maneuver used to break through Kuomintang encirclement. Guizhou features prominently in both the storyline and history, serving as one of the regions that is most closely associated with sustained Red Army activity during the Long March.

Local governments moved quickly to convert the film's popularity into tourism growth ahead of the summer travel peak.

Visitors from outside the province have been able to exchange valid movie ticket stubs for free admission to State-run A-level scenic attractions, part of a broader campaign to stimulate consumption across the tourism sector.

"Watching a movie really can get you in for free," says a user named Alex on the social media platform Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, posting a guide explaining how a Crossing ticket could be used to gain free entry to Huangguoshu Waterfall.

The post spread widely and prompted many users to plan trips around the policy, with some saying they intended to watch the film first in order to use the ticket benefit later during travel in Guizhou.

According to the attraction operator, more than 1,000 visitors entered Huangguoshu Waterfall for free within two days after the policy took effect. The promotion will remain valid through the end of the year, extending its potential impact well beyond the initial release window.

Market data shows that peak-season admission to Huangguoshu typically costs around 160 yuan per person, while cinema tickets range from 20 to 40 yuan, creating a strong incentive for travelers to use film tickets as a gateway to discounted tourism.

Platform operators said demand grew rapidly. Bao Gang, manager of "One Code Travel Guizhou", an online platform for verifying discounts, says that within two days of the film's release, about 15,000 users applied for free-entry benefits and daily redemptions continued to rise, with Huangguoshu, Fanjing Mountain, and Xiaoqikong among the most popular destinations.

The film's influence has also spilled into heritage tourism linked to the Long March. More visitors have begun planning itineraries around historical Red Army routes, a trend that has strengthened what is known in China as red tourism.

In Zunyi, an immersive performance titled The Great Turning Point is preparing for the summer peak season and expects further gains from the surge in interest created by the film. The production team said its themes closely align with the film and that ticket holders can also receive a 20 percent discount when purchasing show tickets.

"The performance uses large-scale lighting, sound, and visual effects to re-create key moments of revolutionary history and has drawn strong interest from younger audiences," says Wang Liming, head of marketing at the production company.

As the summer travel season approaches, Wang expects daily showings to increase significantly, reflecting how a single historical film has begun to reshape both cultural consumption and tourism flows across the region.