Set-jetting continues to drive tourism growth, and one of the places that has benefitted from this trend is Hangzhou, China.
Following the worldwide premiere of Chinese historical series, Pursuit Of Jade, the city has been welcoming more tourists. Most are eager to explore the series’ filming locations across the Zhejiang Province, which include the capital, Hangzhou.
Data by Amadeus Travel Intelligence shows that international arrivals to the city saw a 9% year-on-year increase during the period of March to June 2026.
Leisure travel accounts for 95% of international demand, with South-East Asian markets recording the highest visits.
Arrivals from Malaysia are up 56%, placing it ahead of Singapore’s 48% increase. Vietnam showed the biggest increase at 516%.
West Asian travellers are flocking to the city too, with arrivals from United Arab Emirates up 57%.
When the hit series premiered in March, it placed sixth on Netflix’s Global Top 10 non-English chart. It recorded 34 million hours of views in its first full week, reaching the Top 10 in ten Asian markets.
Among the places that fans of the series are visiting across Zhejiang are West Lake in Hangzhou; Hengdian World Studios in the town Hengdian, often dubbed “China’s Hollywood”; and Xiangshan Film and Television Town in the industrial city Ningbo.
Jakarta, Indonesia might be replicating this success when “Squid Game: The Experience” event hits its shores in Q4 this year.
While the Indonesian city is not a filming location for the popular South Korean series Squid Game, it is set to be the first South-East Asian destination to host the immersive experience based on the hit show.
It was previously successfully held in New York (United States), Madrid (Spain), Seoul (South Korea), London (England), Sydney (Australia) and Tokyo (Japan).
The 60-minute live challenge will open at Jakarta’s Agora Mall in the Thamrin Nine complex, featuring multiple themed zones spanning over 1,900sq m.
“Jakarta represents an exciting market for immersive entertainment, with a strong fanbase and growing demand for experiential formats,” said Anthony Chong, group chief executive of Kingsmen Creatives, in a press statement.
Kingsmen Xperience, a subsidiary of Kingsmen Creatives that is focused on location-based entertainment, is set to design, produce and install the experience.
Done in collaboration with Netflix and PT Vista Adhya Paragon (SideQuest Worlds), the interactive experience will have participants moving in groups through a multi-room journey. They will take part in challenges and activities inspired by the titular series.
Through collaboration with local partners, there will also be dedicated retail and food and beverage offerings that will reflect both the series and local tastes.
At the moment, the exact dates have yet to be set.
But fans can already join the Waiting List at squidgameexperienceid.com. Doing so will unlock benefits like exclusive offers, special surprises and early notification of ticket sales.
