East, West meet in Gulangyu, Shapowei and Zengcuoan

During that time, newfangled shops and restaurants continued to settle there, making the area a new landmark in Xiamen.

A similar thing happened in the village of Xitouxia, a remote fishing spot in Siming district in the past, is now a tourist resort that attracts photographers.

Each year, the village receives at least 30,000 couples - wanting their wedding photos taken. It is estimated that more than half of them come from out of town.

On its 13-hectare land, there are 10 wedding photographic organizations and more than 70 photo workshops.

The constant stream of visitors there at the same time serves to boost the local services industry.

Besides photography, the overall services industry includes themed household hotels, cafes, restaurants as well as rent. Together they generated around 1 billion-yuan ($146.75 million) in income in 2016.

Another 'must go' for visitors to Xiamen is Zengcuoan, once a small fishing village, dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

But now, it has gained fame as a gathering place for cultural creativity.

More than 1,200 themed hotels, shops as well as restaurants, pack its narrow roads, which receive over 10 million visitors every year.