Universal Studios Singapore integrated the popular web novel IP The Unruly Immortals into the attractions for its Halloween-themed festival last year. Fang Yu, head of China marketing for Resorts World Sentosa, described their approach as a "triple translation" — cultural, commercial, and industrial.

"We didn't just translate the text; we translated the story's core," she explained. They converted abstract Taoist concepts behind the IP into sensory experiences, including visual spectacles and non-player character interactions, which allowed international visitors to "feel" the culture.

"We found that on-the-ground cultural exchange is highly effective," Fang said. "Many of our Singaporean colleagues weren't familiar with the Taoist culture. But when we placed a cauldron in the setting, it sparked curiosity. Through explanation and immersive experience, they gradually understood. It also allowed tourists from around the world to connect with Chinese culture."

Similarly, the Switzerland Tourism partnered with the esports-themed novel The King's Avatar. Capitalizing on a "10-year pact" written into the novel's finale, where the protagonist leads a team to a tournament in Zurich in 2025, the tourism board launched a precision marketing campaign.

Last summer, several hundred fans gathered in Zurich for a 10-year promise event.

"This is not a short-term burst. It is a story grown from a community," said Yu Shiwen, the board's representative in China. "It revealed the potential of integrating IP with cultural tourism. It brings unprecedented precision, letting us know exactly who is visiting."

Tang Qiao, deputy director of the cyber research office at the Institute of Literature of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, emphasized that a successful cultural export requires emotional anchoring.

"Bringing stories into reality adds a new dimension of value," Tang said. "Immersive entertainment transforms users from readers to story participants. This experiential engagement fosters emotional resonance, allowing a natural transmission of values."

"Cultural discount often stems from surface-level symbols. But human emotional needs are universal. Good stories find that common resonance," she added.

For the writers, the impact can be personal.

Dominguez is looking toward his next chapter with a sense of responsibility. "I feel a moral debt to teach," he said. "The stories I read taught me more about being a good person. Even as entertainment, they speak to the good you must do in the world."

For Akande in Nigeria, this cultural bridge built by her laptop has redefined her horizon. "Just getting out of the state I've always known to a different country has shown me that anything is possible," she said. "It has really changed my brain chemistry."

zhengzheng@chinadaily.com.cn