Visitors at the Pingyao International Photography Festival. [Photo by Zhang Wei/China Daily]

Since the first Pingyao International Photography Festival was held in September 2001, the annual festival has become an important venue for photographers from home and abroad to present their works and communicate with each other.

It has made Pingyao known to people in other parts of the world and is bringing in more tourists.

This September, the festival showcased 483 exhibitions by 2,116 photographers from 30 countries and regions. In Pingyao, audiences enjoyed photos taken using cameras and mobiles about various themes such as cultural heritage and natural scenery.

"It's a great place to meet new people and find people from the industry. The festival has improved every year with better lighting and facilities, making it worthwhile to come back," says Robert Pledge, president and editorial director of Contact Press Images, an international photojournalism agency in the United States. He comes to the festival nearly every year and delivered a speech about his curating experience this year.

He says the festival is becoming more diverse and international, and an increasing number of people know about Pingyao and visit the great ancient city.

Photographer and curator Wang Wuyun from Shanxi province attributes Pingyao's success in tourism and its fame to the festival.

Also, there are more cultural exchange activities now than before.

"Photography is not only about taking photos, but also about promoting the truth, the good and beauty of life," says Wang.