Xinjiang assures tourists region is safe

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is a safe destination for tourists, an official from the region's tourism administration said at a promotion conference for the tourist industry in Guangzhou on Wednesday.

"None of the violent terrorist attacks in Xinjiang in recent years happened in tourist areas, and none of them targeted tourists," said Ma Rui, vice-inspector of the administration.

"To ensure tourists' safety, our administration has organized the staff of tourism areas to conduct security drills many times. Bus companies, travel guides and star-rated hotels are required to upgrade their security equipment. Travel agencies will also travel-test safe routes when they design travel plans."

Ma said the number of tourists from Guangdong province to Xinjiang in the first six months of 2014 declined year-on-year due to the negative influence of violent terrorist attacks during that period.

"However, as the peak season of Xinjiang's tourism arrived, the market has been picking up since late June," Ma said.

For example, more than 10,000 tourists from Taiwan visited Xinjiang in June, a year-on-year growth of 53.51 percent, he said.

China Southern Airlines opened a direct flight route from Urumqi to Taipei in March 2013, and China Airlines in Taiwan also launched a route from Taipei to Urumqi three months later, which shortened the journey between the regions from 10 hours to six hours.

To further boost the tourist industry during the peak season, members of the Xinjiang Hotel Association are offering discounts of 40 percent on accommodation prices from the same period in previous years. Bus companies are providing similar discounts.

Self-driven travel and photography tours are becoming more and more popular with tourists to Xinjiang. Ma reminded independent travelers not to go alone to remote areas and advised them to visit scenic spots graded A and above.

Guangdong province is assigned by the central government to aid the development of Kashgar prefecture in Xinjiang. Fang Lixu, director of the aid team's headquarters in Xinjiang, said at the conference that the South China province will bring tourists, tourism professionals, projects and funding to Xinjiang in order to help develop the West China region's tourism and to promote communication between people in the two areas.