A four-day itinerary for a family in Xi'an, a historic city in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, takes Bai Fenglun about a week to prepare.

While assisting his clients with their travel arrangements over the phone, Bai said that Shaanxi is known for its wheat products and that you may visit the factory where they are made.

Bai's current career is completely different from her previous one as a tour bus driver 13 years ago.

He would take a group of more than 20 people on a one-day tour of well-known scenic sites, like Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, which houses the famous terracotta warriors and horses, Huaqing Palace, and Huashan Mountain, in 2010 by first waiting at a train station, an airport, or another location where tourists would arrive.

China's domestic tourism industry was expanding quickly at the time. Official statistics show that from 2006 to 2010, domestic tourism grew by 12% yearly in China, while total tourism income increased by 15% annually. Despite the enormous number of visitors, the market had poor consumption, which prevented further growth.

China's domestic tourists love to visit Huashan Mountain. China's domestic tourists love to visit Huashan Mountain.

Bai noted that while his company was doing well at the time, the market was chaotic, the tourism products and services were subpar, and there were several complaints from visitors.

He started a local guide business on the Trip.com online reservation system in 2016, catering to small tour groups and making arrangements following local laws.

A short glance or a thorough tour are both acceptable during a visit to each tourist attraction, according to Bai.

In contrast to the one or two orders the company received when it first started, Bai's company received orders from dozens of tourist groups two years later. Upon realizing the potential market for personalized tourism, he shifted his attention to the travel industry. Bai gradually discovered that Chinese visitors favored having in-depth experiences. Creating products for experience tourism quickly became a significant aspect of his work.

In 2017, one of Bai's customers wanted his kids to visit a handicraft workshop and learn more about how the terracotta warriors were made. As a result, Bai made contact with the factory and set up the experience. Later, he discovered that the factory had turned the encounter into a regular tourist excursion.

According to Bai, "Such proactive transformation is increasingly typical in the tourism sector."

The tourism sector continues to reinvent its goods and enhance its services in response to shifting tourist expectations. For the past two years, travelers have been drawn to scenic locations in Xi'an that offer exposure to traditional Chinese culture.

travelers worldwide in 2023, an increase of almost 80% from the previous year. About US$560bil (RM2.55tril) will be made through tourism, an increase of 95% from the previous year.

When asked about his future intentions, Bai stated that he was creating more tourism-related events that centered on neighborhood life and intangible cultural assets. "I think the demand for intimate and detailed tours will increase over time."