Moreover, as the tourism industry continues to recover, new “Instagrammable“ attractions are emerging across the country, attracting large crowds to capture their memorable experiences.

　　“In this context, the demand for photographic equipment is steadily increasing,“ said Wu Feiran of the Shenzhen Soft Science Development Foundation.

　　The growing demand is also driving the action-camera market, with analysts expecting the global market for such cameras to reach 20.1 billion yuan (about 2.8 billion U.S. dollars) by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.1 percent.

　　Chinese brands like DJI and Insta360 are stepping up to meet this demand, making significant success both domestically and internationally.

　　GLOBAL BRANDS EYE CHINA

　　Global camera giants like Sony, Canon and Nikon, which now have over 80 percent of the global camera market share, are intensifying their efforts to tap China's booming market.

　　“We see tremendous opportunities in emerging sectors like live-streaming e-commerce and the influencer-driven economy, where China leads the way,“ said Takehito Soeda, vice president of Sony (China).

　　Soeda noted that the younger generations no longer view photography as a niche skill but as a form of emotional expression, thus reviving the camera market.

　　Hideki Ozawa, president and CEO of Canon (China), highlighted that in 2023, digital camera sales in China surged by 25 percent, positioning it as the fastest-growing market among major regions.

　　“This trend will continue, with a faster growth rate of 35 percent expected in 2024 within China,“ Ozawa predicted. In response to local demand, Canon is enhancing its product offerings and collaborating with major Chinese e-commerce platforms.