Xinjiang's horizons open wide as tourism grows and development surges

From snow-capped mountains to expansive grasslands, and from pristine lakes to desolate deserts, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has become a premier tourist destination with its stunning landscapes.

In the 1950s, however, Xinjiang was a distant dream for most people, limited by its remote location and poor transportation. The region's vast distance and challenging travel conditions made it difficult for many to experience its natural beauty and rich culture firsthand.

Over the past 70 years, Xinjiang has undergone remarkable transformations, particularly in its cultural and tourism sectors, which have become strategic pillars for boosting local well-being and happiness.

The development of Xinjiang's tourism industry has been closely linked with China's reform and opening-up policies. In 1978, the Xinjiang tourism bureau was established, and the region received fewer than 100 visitors that year — all of them international. It was not until the 1990s that domestic tourism began to steadily increase.

Wu Feng, president of the Xinjiang Travel Agency Association, has been involved in the region's tourism industry for 38 years.

At that time, Xinjiang had few tourist attractions and weak infrastructure, Wu recalled. There were primarily two routes: one covering Tianchi Lake, Nanshan Pasture and Turpan, and the other known as the "southern Xinjiang tour", which included Urumqi, Turpan, Kuqa, Korla, Aksu and Kashgar.

"In the 1990s, it would take at least an hour and a half to travel one way to Nanshan. Now, the same amount of time is enough for a round trip," Wu said.

Back then, it took three and a half hours to drive to Turpan, so all tour groups had to stay overnight. This changed in the early 2000s with the opening of the highway, which paved the way for more tourism routes, according to Wu.

In recent years, Xinjiang has expanded its service facilities, including transportation, accommodation and dining. With more direct flight routes, interconnected highways, high-speed rail lines and dedicated tourist trains, an increasingly convenient transportation network has spurred rapid development in Urumqi and across the region.

Official data show that in 2024, Xinjiang received more than 300 million visits, with visitor spending reaching 359.54 billion yuan ($50.4 billion), marking year-on-year increases of 14 percent and 21 percent, respectively. In the first quarter of 2025, visits grew by 9.08 percent and spending by 12.58 percent year-on-year.

With the implementation of a tourism-driven strategy, Xinjiang's cultural and tourism industries have flourished. Using the region's landscapes as a canvas and integrating culture with tourism, these industries have become key drivers of growth, ranking among Xinjiang's top 10 industrial clusters.

"The beauty, vastness, harmony, richness, flavor and progress of Xinjiang constitute the core attraction of its cultural and tourism industry cluster," said Xu Ruijun, Party secretary of the region's department of culture and tourism.

Today, Xinjiang boasts 18 national 5A-rated tourist sites, ranking third nationwide, and 776 A-rated scenic spots, ranking fourth. It has also established numerous national-level cultural trade hubs, scenic areas, ski resorts, leisure streets, nighttime tourism zones, and demonstration areas for culture-tourism integration. New tourism products and business models are continuing to emerge.

Wang Xiaoping, head of the Dolan Tribe Scenic Area in Awati county, invested in the development of the site 20 years ago and has overseen its construction and operation ever since.

The Dolan Tribe Scenic Area, themed around Dolan folk culture and set against vast poplar forests, is a national 4A-rated site. Covering 553 hectares, it includes more than 333 hectares of representative poplar forests. With investments of 180 million yuan over the years, the area has become a key venue for showcasing Dolan culture and preserving intangible heritage through deep integration of culture and tourism.

The "Dolan ancient village", crafted by Wang himself, features workshops for woodcraft, blacksmithing and pottery, preserving traditional skills while creating jobs for local residents. Today, the area employs more than 130 workers and hosts over 100 vendors selling handmade crafts and agricultural products, all benefiting from the booming tourism industry.

Official data show that in 2024, Xinjiang had more than 510,000 enterprises engaged in cultural, tourism and related industries, driving high-quality economic and social development.

Xinjiang is not only an attractive destination for Chinese travelers but also an admired stop for international visitors.

Riding the wave of Belt and Road Initiative development, Xinjiang carried out 80 international cultural exchange and tourism promotion activities between 2022 and 2024, involving 1,906 participants.

Through these efforts, Xinjiang showcased Chinese culture on the global stage while embracing international cultural elements. Events such as the China Xinjiang International Dance Festival and the China Xinjiang International Art Biennial were held, fostering mutual understanding and cultural exchange.

In 2024, Xinjiang welcomed 5.15 million international tourists, a year-on-year increase of 46 percent, generating $4.48 billion in revenue, up 174 percent. From January to April 2025, the region received 1.12 million international visits, a 7.67 percent increase year-on-year, with international tourism revenue reaching $1.07 billion, up 13.18 percent, according to official data.