China’s Xinjiang plans to open up to more tourists – including foreigners

China’s Xinjiang – an ethnically diverse region that still faces Western sanctions over a slew of human-rights issues – plans to open up to more foreign visitors, as the local government strives to boost tourism and diversify the regional economy.

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, which stretches over a vast tract of land in western China, has become a hugely popular destination among domestic tourists in recent years, receiving a record 302 million visits last year.

Now, local officials have published an action plan to further grow the region’s culture and tourism sector, with a target of raising the industry’s annual revenue to at least 1 trillion yuan (US$138 billion) and receiving at least 400 million visits per year by 2030, according to the document published on Sunday.

The plan will involve opening up the region to more foreign tourists, with the document including references to strengthening the development of cross-border tourism and expanding trade in cultural goods and services.

Xinjiang – which is famous in China for its stunning natural scenery and diverse mix of ethnic groups – is not currently fully open to foreign nationals.

While international visitors can generally enter the region freely, they normally need special permits to visit some tourist attractions, such as the huge Bayinbuluke grassland, according to China-based travel agencies that organise trips for foreigners.