Animation festival to boost summertime tourism
The 2023 Summer Animation Festival is launched at Shanghai Film Museum on Friday.
CTG International, a leading operator of hotels and resorts, is cooperating with Shanghai Animation Film Studio to launch the Summer Animation Festival.
From July to September, the cultural and tourism program will feature original and immersive entertainment experiences and provide insights into the origins and evolution of Chinese animation.
Shanghai Animation Film Studio's well-known animation IPs will be incorporated into CTG International's scenic spots and resorts, inspiring a variety of stage performances, exhibitions and interactive activities.
Among the IPs are "The Magical Pen" (1955), "Pigsy Eats Watermelon" (1958), "Fishboy" (1959), "Dippy and Chippy" (1962), "Little Fighter" (1973) and "Shuke and Beita" (1989).
Wang Fan, CTG International's deputy general manager, said that the multidimensional presentation of Chinese animation's beauty and glory will provide people with a gratifying and unique summer experience.
Shanghai Animation Film Studio's famous IPs will be used at scenic spots and resorts for stage performances, exhibitions, and interactive activities.
Cartoon images of "Dippy and Chippy" (1962)
Cartoon images of "Shuke and Beita" (1989)
Shen Yue, deputy director of Shanghai Animation Film Studio, said that Shanghai has a rich tradition of animation filmmaking. Over the years, the studio has created over 500 works in a variety of artistic genres, such as puppetry, ink painting and paper-cutting.
The animation festival is also projected to become an annual event, evoking generations of people's nostalgia and memories of iconic Chinese animation characters while also providing fresh energy and functions to picturesque areas.
CTG International currently operates roughly 50 scenic spots and resorts around the world, attracting approximately 30 million tourists each year.
Yang Haijuan, deputy general manager of CTG International's Operation Center, stated that the Summer Animation Festival will include parades of animation characters, film screenings, theme concerts, and plays. Elements from the animation IPs will also be used to design the hotel rooms and restaurants.
"We still have a lot of creative ideas and tailor-made services to explore for our summertime tourists, many of whom are families with children," Yang said.
