Xinjiang Witnesses Booming Tourism Season

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region played host to 330,000 tourists, earning 270 million yuan (about 340,000 U.S. dollars) from tourism during the first week of October.

Of the total number, 100,000 visitors came from abroad. Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang and the furthest city from the ocean in the world, has proven the most attractive spot in Xinjiang for both Chinese and overseas tourists.

Xinjiang is not only famous for the ancient Silk Road, but also for the 256 ancient cultural sites, tombs, ruins, Buddhist caves, stone sculptures and numerous contemporary monuments. Xinjiang is home to China's longest inland river, lowest depression in terms of elevation, the most expansive desert, and both the warmest and coldest areas in the country. The region received 220,000 overseas visitors last year.

To date, Xinjiang has opened 60 international and domestic air routes, put the north-south railway artery into operation and built a number of expressways linking Urumqi with other major cities and scenic spots in the region. It has also opened 160 hotels.

A local tourism official anticipates that air routes between Urumqi and Japan, Hong Kong and some European cities will open soon.

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/