Global Times:

Just now, the speaker mentioned Xinjiang's beauty multiple times, as well as its booming tourism sector. I also noticed a figure in the white paper that Xinjiang received more than 300 million tourists in 2024. Why has Xinjiang become a dream destination for more and more people in recent years? Thank you.

Erkin Tuniyaz:

Thank you for your question. I'd like to invite Mr. Wang Jianxin to answer it.

Wang Jianxin:

Thank you for your question. There is a widely popular song that goes: "Our Xinjiang is a wonderful place, with beautiful scenery on both sides of the Tianshan Mountains." As this journalist mentioned, many people regard beautiful Xinjiang as their dream destination. Xinjiang boasts unique natural landscapes, including Tianchi Lake in the Tianshan Mountains, Kanas Lake, Nalati Grassland, and the poplar trees along the Tarim River — all of which captivate visitors. Xinjiang also possesses profound historical heritage and rich cultural resources, with world-renowned historical and cultural sites including the ruins of Jiaohe, the ruins of Beiting City, the Kizil Grottoes, and the ruins of the Subashi Buddhist Temple. Xinjiang's vast and magnificent scenery, together with its diverse yet harmonious culture, gives it a natural "radiance" of its own. Last year, Xinjiang received a total of 302 million domestic and international tourist visits, up 14% year on year. This year, its popularity has continued, welcoming 230 million tourists from January to August. Xinjiang's appeal, influence and reputation are all on the rise. I'll sum it up in a few keywords.

The first keyword is "boom." By this, I mean the cultural boom, museum boom, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) boom, and cultural activity boom, which have been frequently covered in media reports about Xinjiang tourism over the past two years. During this summer vacation, Xinjiang Museum received an average of 15,000 visitors daily. The newly built Museum of the Western Regions Frontier Command and the Qiuci Museum this year have gained great popularity and quickly become popular destinations for visitors. From July to August this year, the 6th China Xinjiang International Dance Festival attracted over 60,000 audience members to theaters. During the Xinjiang ICH Week, the venue was packed with visitors, and ICH products such as clay pottery, mulberry-bark paper, and Atlas silk proved extremely popular.

The second keyword is "hot," meaning that the tourism industry is a hot sector. From the famous Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway to the newly opened Altay-Hemu Highway this year, as well as the highway around the Bosten Lake, cars on road trips flow continuously. From the picturesque Salimu Lake to the culturally rich Ancient City of Kashi, tourists are everywhere. During July and August this year, the International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi received an average of over 200,000 visitors daily for 30 consecutive days. Xinjiang is equally enchanting in winter. Places like Altay and Ili are covered in thick blankets of snow, where skiers soar through the air and carve on the slopes. Xinjiang tourism sees busy off-seasons and even busier peak seasons.

The third keyword is "integration," which refers to the integration of culture and tourism. The 2024 CCTV Spring Festival Gala's Kashi venue featured spectacular and stunning performances that amazed the world, bringing the city of Kashi into the spotlight. The TV series "To the Wonder" captivated audiences with its beautiful natural scenery and romantic love story, becoming popular both domestically and internationally, turning Altay into a wonderful destination for countless tourists. "Film and TV tourism," "music tourism," and "performance tourism" have become new trends in Xinjiang, enriching the region's tourism with deeper cultural significance and contemporary appeal.

The fourth character is "mi," which means "close" bonds. As we travel across the vast land of Xinjiang, it is common to see people of all ethnic groups living side by side as neighbors. Whether in bustling urban communities or in tranquil rural villages, we can see people of all ethnic groups closely united, much like the seeds of a pomegranate. In the Qiuci Alley of Kuqa city and on the Liuxing street in Yining city, tourists from all over the country gather together. They sing, dance, and rejoice together which is in fact the most beautiful scene in all of Xinjiang.

The fifth character is "run," which means "nourishing" people's hearts. In recent years, we have held events such as the China Xinjiang Folk Art Season, Conference on Reading, establishing demonstration sites that showcase Chinese cultural symbols and the collective images of the Chinese nation. These efforts serve as an exhibition of Chinese culture, enrich the local cultural life, and nourish the hearts of the people. We have also held diverse public cultural and sports activities, such as the village gala, Village Super League, and Village Basketball Association known as "Cun BA." In 2024, over 10,000 village evening gala events were held across the region, both injecting vitality and increasing the popularity of the villages.

Just as Mr. Erkin mentioned: If one were to describe the Altay-Hemu highway in just one word, it would be "beautiful." In two words: "incredibly beautiful." And in three: "truly incredibly beautiful." Honestly, that's exactly how all of Xinjiang could be described. Xinjiang is a great place. Beautiful Xinjiang welcomes you. I sincerely invite all our journalist friends and tourists from around the world to visit beautiful Xinjiang where you will experience its beauty and embark on a journey through stunning landscapes and truly brilliant culture. That's all from me for this question. Thank you.