Xi'an's cultural and tourism market boomed during the Qingming Festival holiday from April 4 to 6, thanks to the overlap of Easter and China's visa-free policies. Inbound travel orders nearly doubled, with order growth from visa-free countries more than three times that from non-visa-exempt countries.

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum became one of the most favored cultural heritage attractions among European and American tourists, driving both inbound travel orders and cultural-tourism consumption in Xi'an to new highs.

To cope with visitor peaks, the museum extended opening hours by 1 hour and increased its daily ticket supply by 5,000, bringing the total to 70,000 tickets per day.

The Huaqing Palace Scenic Area launched a series of events that integrated flower viewing, interactive experiences, and photography contests, drawing tourists and hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) enthusiasts from all over the country and making it a highlight of the cultural tourism market.

Huaqing Palace attracts many hanfu enthusiasts. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

The Song of Everlasting Sorrow was staged four times daily, and the 12·12 Xi'an Incident 11 times, resulting in daytime sightseeing and nighttime performances. The cherry blossom season at Qinglong Temple and Tang-style shows at Tang Paradise also attracted large numbers of overseas visitors for in-depth experiences.

People watch a performance at Huaqing Palace. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

Xi'an will further improve its international services and explore cultural significance to support the high-quality development of its cultural tourism industry.