Amid pandemic, 'safe' Xinjiang enjoys a tourism boom

While other provinces in China are still facing unprecedented changes brought by COVID-19, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has become a popular destination for domestic travelers.

Xinjiang is known for its grand geographical views and tasty specialties. Since it has had no COVID-19 infections for more than two months, the region has loosened its quarantine policies and is dubbed a "tourism-friendly" area amid the pandemic.

People who haven't taken a journey for a long time for fear of an outbreak see Xinjiang as an ideal place and have flocked to it.

On online travel agency Trip.com, the price of flights from Shanghai to Urumqi in July and August ranges from 900 to 1,200 yuan (US$133-178). An 8-day package tour in northern Xinjiang costs nearly 30,000 yuan.

The minsu, or bed-and-breakfast homestays, on some tourism sites charge more than 1,000 yuan a night.

According to the latest summer vacation tourism report released by Trip, in June, Xinjiang package tour bookings increased by 357 percent from May, while those for upscale hotels rose by nearly 90 percent.

Guangdong residents booked the most tours to Xinjiang, the report said.

For people in Xinjiang, the Corban Festival holiday, or Eid al-Adha, is one of the most important celebrations for Muslims. This year it ran from July 9 to 13.

During this period, many tourist attractions in Xinjiang saw a surge in visitors. On July 9, the Tianchi Lake scenic spot received 16,655 visitors, 46 percent higher than last year.

Sayram Lake attracted more than 60,000 people on July 10, a record high.