City of heritage and appeal

A record of progress

Many local residents living in and around the scenic area of the Ancient City of Kashgar have become more open-minded and willing to expand their business up for the tourism sector.

So far, more than 3,600 stores and stalls, including groceries, cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops that sell souvenirs, jadeware, nuts and creative cultural products, have been opened in the scenic area, directly generating more than 8,000 jobs, according to the local publicity department.

Mardan Ablimit, 35, is among those who have ventured into the business ownership in the ancient city.

The Kashgar native had worked for the documentary department of a local satellite TV station for nine years. Witnessing the thriving tourism in his hometown, in 2017 he decided to open a cafe with interior decor representative of the cultures and typical architectural styles of Kashgar.

He used to tour across Kashgar prefecture to film documentaries. During these trips to nearby villages and towns, he would observe the styles of the traditional buildings and ornaments, which inspired him when he opened the cafe.

"I want to preserve my childhood memories of the ancient city in my cafe," he says. "And it can also serve as a place for me to meet new friends from everywhere."

Furthermore, he has made an innovative move of blending coffee with local herbs, such as cardamom and saffron, giving the drink a local flavor.

He eventually resigned from the local TV station and became a freelancer, planning to film his own documentary presenting the evolution of Kashgar over recent decades, and portraying the lives and stories of its people.

Mardan also has a desire to open new branches of the cafe, each with a similar decor, in Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities in a bid to spark more people's interest in his hometown.

Kashgar received more than 6.12 million domestic tourists during the first five months of this year, up 50.2 percent year-on-year, and revenue generated by its tourism industry during the period reached nearly 4.59 billion yuan ($711 million), representing a growth of 30.1 percent over the same period last year, according to the local department of culture and tourism.