Across the historic city of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a photography craze is sweeping through the streets, with flocks of tourists in elegant traditional garments of Hanfu flooding iconic landmarks to personally experience China's rich cultural heritage.

With a history spanning over three millennia and serving as the capital for 13 dynasties for more than 1,100 years, Xi'an has long been a popular tourist destination. As a growing number of visitors seek to immortalize their journeys through the lens, the surge in travel photography has fueled a booming industry. In 2023, Xi'an welcomed a staggering 278 million tourist visits, a new record high.
For many, the opportunity to don Hanfu and pose against the backdrop of Xi'an's storied landmarks like the Grand Tang Mall is a must-have experience.
"I saw photos from online platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu, and they really caught my attention. After seeing so many beautiful ladies in person today, I couldn't resist joining in. I want to capture some beautiful moments while I'm still young," said Wu Xiaojie, a tourist.
"I feel a bit tired, but wearing Hanfu for the first time is such a novel experience. It makes me feel really excited," said Zhou Xinli, another tourist.
Photography studios are capitalizing on the trend, offering a wide range of services from hairstyling and makeup to costume rentals and photography.
"Our business hours are from 11:00 to 23:00, but during the summer we extend them until midnight. We handle around 50 to 100 orders daily, with about 200 customers visiting the store each day," said Yang Hongying, a staff member of the Datang Fanghua Photography Studio.
Prices for these services range from 200 to 5,000 yuan, or approximately 28 to 700 U.S. dollars, catering to a diverse clientele.
An industry report estimates that in 2023, the market size of the travel photography industry in China approached 40 billion yuan, or about 5.6 billion U.S. dollars. Insiders believe there's significant potential for further growth.
"We will continue exploring the cultural and tourism resources at Grand Tang Mall. By partnering with colleges and fashion design agencies, we aim to attract more professionals and high-quality resources to drive innovative development in the industry," said Wei Shuyu, a staff member of the tourist spot.
As competition intensifies, experts say maintaining high quality services will be crucial for sustaining success in this thriving sector.