Burj Al-Arab features as prime location in ‘Switch’

The luxurious hotel Burj Al-Arab features as one of the prime locations in the long-awaited Chinese action movie, “Switch,” that released in Shanghai and other cities in China on Sunday.
“Switch,” a big budget 3D spy actioner, is the first Chinese film that shot internationally. The Mandarin-language film will be dubbed in English and Arabic languages later. The movie is directed by Sun Jianjun and has super stars including Andy Lau, Lin Chi-ling, Zhang Jingchu and Tong Dawei.
The story involves international gangsters fighting over an ancient Chinese painting across the world, with scenes filmed in and around the Burj Al-Arab, on board an Emirates A380.
Chinese action hero, Andy Lau as a James Bond-like character, battles a multi-national organization to recover the stolen national treasure — the famous painting ‘Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains’. The stolen painting was sold on the black market led by a mysterious business magnate (Tong Dang Wei) and it is up to special agent Jinhan (Andy Lau) to recover it. Jinhan and his wife (Zhang Jingchu) have drifted apart due to the secret nature of his work and Jinhan is unaware that is wife is also a special agent who was tasked with protecting the painting.
Filled with fast-paced, suspenseful action, extraordinary stunts and breathtaking locations, including Burj Al Arab’s helipad, lobby and the Al-Falak ballroom, the gripping plot was filmed in four countries and six cities, including Hangzhou, Fuyang, Taipei, Tokyo, Milan and Dubai.
“Over the last few years Burj Al-Arab has become a must-visit destination for Chinese travelers coming to Dubai,” said Heinrich Morio, Burj Al-Arab’s General Manager. “We wanted to introduce our inspiring design and unique décor to the viewers who might not yet be familiar with our hotel. Therefore we were delighted to feature in Switch.”
In the last three years, the ease of securing visas to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has helped attract a record number of Chinese tourists and business people to the UAE, making Chinese visitors among the top three fastest-growing guest segments for Burj Al-Arab and one of the key markets for the Jumeirah Group properties based in Dubai.