LONG-TERM INVESTMENT PAYING OFF

The take-off of Xinjiang's tourism has benefited from the government's efforts to improve the local security level, once threatened by extremism, separatism and terrorism, and years of heavy investment into the infrastructure sector.

Covering one-sixth of China's landmass, Xinjiang's sheer size has always posed a challenge for exploration. However, with rapid infrastructure development, this is changing quickly. Luxury hotels are emerging alongside traditional homes in areas that were difficult to access just a decade ago, and new highways are winding through the mountains.

Over the past decade or so, Xinjiang has poured hundreds of billions of US dollars into building and improving its transportation network, noted Zheng Mingquan, a senior official with the region's transportation department. "This represents the largest investment and fastest growth our transportation system has ever seen."

The Altay-Hemu Highway, for instance, has halved the travel time from Altay to Hemu to three hours. Meanwhile, a new expressway set to open by year-end is expected to reduce drive hours between Urumqi and Korla from seven to around three.