When Anna planned her visit to Xinjiang in 2015, friends expressed disbelief that she would venture to one of China’s most troubled regions. Yet fast forward to 2024, and her experience was vastly different, as Xinjiang welcomed over 300 million tourists, a significant increase from prior years.
The evolution of Xinjiang into a tourist hotspot has been underscored by Beijing's investment in infrastructure and marketing initiatives. Travelers flock here for its rugged landscapes and rich cultural heritage, yet many visitors find the local Uyghur culture, primarily represented in a sanitized form, inaccessible.
Despite the scenic beauty described by tourists, Xinjiang is marred by ongoing human rights abuses and attempts at cultural assimilation of the Uyghur people. The region's transformation into a commercialized tourist destination raises critical questions about the authenticity of the experiences that tourists have and the realities faced by the local population.
This juxtaposition presents a complex and troubling picture as authorities push for increasing visitor numbers, with an ambitious aim of reaching over 400 million by 2030. While some travelers perceive Xinjiang as a uniquely beautiful destination, campaigners caution against neglecting the serious issues surrounding the region's governance and the plight of its native peoples.
