The Nujiang Canyon becomes China's latest tourist hotspot

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 ◆ The Nujiang Canyon becomes China's latest tourist hotspot

The Great Nujiang Canyon, in southwest China's Yunnan Province, has become a new tourist hotspot in recent years, thanks to local efforts to improve infrastructure and tourism facilities.

Some local tourism specialists believe that the Nujiang canyon is more attractive
than the United States' Grand Canyon.

The Yunnan section of the canyon is 621 kilometers long and 3,000 meters deep, compared with the Grand Canyon which is 440 kilometers long and 1,830 meters deep.

In the area, there are more than 100 peaks higher than 4,000 meters. The Nujiang River falls an average of two meters per kilometer.

Visitors from home and abroad show great interest in the colorful lifestyle of 12 ethnic groups living in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, including larger communities of Lisu, Nu, Derung, Bai, Primi and Tibetan people.

Local archeologists have discovered many ancient cultural relics, including some Neolithic Age artifacts (8,000-3,500 BC).

In 1999, the Great Nujiang Canyon opened to overseas tourists. Last year, 300,000 tourists visited the prefecture, netting the fledgling tourism industry over 1.4 billion yuan (18 million US dollars).

To date, the prefecture can receive one million visitors a year and almost 30 hotels have been set up there.

According to a provincial government plan, Yunnan has launched a program to promote tourism in the area of the Nujiang, Lancang and Jinsha rivers which run parallel across the province.

The province has applied for the three-river area to be listed as a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.