Xinjiang receives more tourists during New Year

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Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region received around 2.1 million tourists during the three-day New Year's Day holiday which started on December 30, 2018, a year-on-year increase of 40.58 percent, the regional department of culture and tourism said Wednesday.

The rising tourists have brought nearly 1.69 billion yuan (246.6 million U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue to the region, a yearly increase of 46.86 percent.

To attract tourists, the region is launching 196 winter tourism activities from November 2018 to March 2019.

Tourists pose for photos at Altay Ice and Snow World, January 1, 2019. /VCG Photo

In the Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, folk activities such as horse racing, wrestling and archery at the winter Naadam festival have gained popularity. In Narat in the Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, tourists attended a New Year's Eve concert. In the otherworldly scenic spot of Kanas, about 1,000 tourists from around the country poured snow on each other to ring in the New Year.

The scene was part of the 11th ice and snow tourism festival in Kanas during the New Year holiday.

Authorities in the locality incorporated winter entertainment facilities and local ethnic traditions to attract visitors. Activities included skiing, archery, wrestling and motor-cycling in the snow. Tourists saw beautiful snow frost, as locals in ethnic clothes performed.

Tourists enjoy the snowy scenery at Tianshan Lake in Tianshan Mountain, December 9, 2018. /VCG Photo

In recent years, winter entertainment in Xinjiang has greatly improved, and the local government has cashed in on winter tourism.

Li Bing, an official from the Altay Prefecture, which administers Kanas, said that they planned to introduce more leisure activities to lure tourists to Altay.

"We will turn the 'cold' resources into a 'hot' economy," Li said.

(Cover: Tourists ski at Jiangjunshan Ski Resort in Altay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency