Tourists drawn to Xinjiang's Sayram Lake

Sayram Lake in Bortala Mongol autonomous prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, is among the region's must-visit attractions.

The clear alpine lake, featuring different shades of blue and surrounded by snow-clad mountains, stretches of grassland and clusters of wild flowers, has attracted tourists from across the country every year. On average, more than 20,000 tourists visited the scenic area daily in the second half of July.

The scenic area's management committee has made great efforts over the past decade to improve the lake's water quality and protect the area's environment and biological diversity.

Fan Weijiang, who works with the committee said grazing is prohibited on the nearby grassland of 24,467 hectares. About 2,000 hectares of degraded grassland have been restored since 2012.

"We also have done much work to reinforce the dams and implement afforestation programs to prevent water loss and soil erosion," Fan said, adding that the sightseeing vehicles and sailboats in the scenic area all use clean energy.