Hengdian World Studios offers tourist short-drama experiences to counter AI-driven attendance decline

Hengdian World Studios, the world's largest film and TV studio, is launching a paid experience allowing tourists to star in short dramas for about US$30 per person, responding to falling attendance attributed to AI-driven production shifts. The move signals a pivot in the studio's business model from passive tourism to interactive entertainment, though the financial impact remains uncertain. This reflects broader pressure on traditional film-tourism sectors from AI disruption.