URUMQI, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region recorded 323 million tourist visits in 2025, generating 370 billion yuan (53.04 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue, year-on-year increases of 8 percent and 8.4 percent respectively, according to the ongoing regional legislative session.

The regional government work report outlined plans for 2026, emphasizing the development of key tourism sectors such as winter sports, specialty tours and border tourism. Efforts will be accelerated to boost the construction of scenic areas, including some national 5A-level scenic spots -- the highest rating for tourist destinations in China.

The report also highlighted the integration of digital technologies to boost the cultural and tourism industries, improve service quality, and strengthen market regulation. Tourism is expected to remain a key driver of job creation and to further promote interactions and exchanges among people of all ethnic groups in the region. ■