Tourists visit the Grape Valley scenic area in Turpan, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 26, 2023. The city of Turpan has received 2.53 million tourist visits from June 1 to 28, an increase of nearly 40 percent over the same period in 2022. (Photo: Xinhua)

As the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is expecting a surge of tourists in autumn and winter this year, the autonomous region in Northwest China is readying its tourism magnets in advance for these picturesque seasons. 

Xinjiang, covering more than 1.66 million square kilometers and accounting for one-sixth of China's total land area, is the largest provincial-level region in China. Known for ethnic songs and dances as well as melons and other fruits, the region also boasts natural jade and gemstones.

"Xinjiang is an important gateway connecting Asia and Europe, serving as a crucial channel for the Silk Road, facilitating trade and friendly exchanges between the East and the West," Gao Zheng, director-general of the Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, told reporters at a promotional event on Monday. 

"It is a region of stunning landscapes, abundant resources and diverse cultures with hospitable people."

Glaciers and snow-capped mountains coexist with deserts and vast plains in the region, led by the Altay Mountains, Tianshan Mountains and Kunlun Mountains, as well as the Tarim Basin and Junggar Basin, which give rise to the extraordinary landscapes of deserts and sand dunes. 

The Tarim River, Ili River and Ertix River crisscross the land, creating an ecological marvel where oases and deserts intertwine. 

A key location along the ancient Silk Road, Xinjiang has developed a unique culture, demonstrated by the multiple ethnic groups in the region, including the Han, Uygur, Kazak, Hui, Kirgiz, Mongolian, Tajik and Uzbek people.

The world-renowned Kuche and Loulan civilizations have their roots here, as the region harbors several famed cultural heritage sites such as the Gaochang Ruins, Jiaohe Ruins, Beiting Ruins and Kizil Caves. 

Xinjiang has also become a frontier in China's winter sports tourism.

In the northern part of Xinjiang, Altay boasts a long snow season that can last nearly 180 days each year.

Taking advantage of ice and snow resources, Altay has made great efforts to establish 10 major ski clusters, including the Keketuohai, Jiangjun Mountain and Hemu ski resorts, forming an ice and snow industry that combines snow sports and leisure vacations, said Delida Nabi, director of the Altay Tourism Bureau.

In recent years, Altay has hosted various winter sports events, including the 2021-22 ISF cross-country skiing tour in Altay, the inaugural national ski mountaineering championship in 2023, and the maiden winter sports games of Xinjiang.