First Xinjiang Tourism Festival Opens

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 ◆ First Xinjiang Tourism Festival Opens

The first tourism festival ever held in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region opened in Urumqi on Friday. Nearly 300 travel agents and journalists from around the world have come to Urumqi, the autonomous regional capital, for the 10- day festival at the joint sponsorship of the National Tourism Administration (NTA) and the government of Xinjiang. "The festival is aimed to show more people Xinjiang's beautiful and imposing landscape and folk culture with a strong local flavor, " Zhang Xiqin, NTA deputy director, said. "This is simply a national tourist gala. It will be held annually in the years ahead," he added. During the festival, the visitors will take package tours over three major routes. One cuts across the world's longest desert highway to take in the spectacular sights of ancient cities and cultural ruins. One runs along the northern slope of Tianshan Mountains and vast expanse of grasslands. And the other visits the Turpan Depression, the world's lowest-lying land, plus the prestigious oil city of Karamay and the picturesque Kanas Lake.