Xinjiang Travel News Roundup

Title: 2026 Xinjiang Culture and Tourism Development Conference Press Briefing

Source: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Government

Published: June 10, 2026

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On June 8, the Information Office of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Government held a press briefing for the 2026 Xinjiang Culture and Tourism Development Conference. Gulim Abulim, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Regional Culture and Tourism Department; Zhang Liying, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director; and Yang Guanyong, Deputy Commissioner of the Hotan Prefecture Administrative Office, attended to introduce relevant information and answer questions from journalists.

Co-hosted by the Autonomous Region People's Government and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the 2026 Xinjiang Culture and Tourism Development Conference will be held in Hotan City, Hotan Prefecture, from June 16 to 18. Representatives from 19 partner assistance provinces and cities, overseas travel merchants, and well-known domestic cultural tourism enterprises will be invited to attend. The conference theme is "Xinjiang is a Great Place — Myriad Melodies of Yutian," aiming to comprehensively showcase cultural tourism achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, systematically plan the development layout for the 15th Five-Year Plan, focus on deep integration of culture and tourism, business format innovation, and brand building, and accelerate the promotion of the cultural tourism industry as a strategic pillar industry for enriching the people and strengthening the region.

The conference has designed a "1+1+N" activity system: one Culture and Tourism Development Conference, one International Travel Merchant Conference, and multiple supporting experience activities. The conference will also launch premium performances including the dance drama "Five Stars Rising in the East," the immersive show "Myriad Melodies of Yutian," and the Yotkan Ancient City concert, along with over 100 exciting cultural, sports, and tourism activities including the 2026 National State-Owned Cultural Tourism Group Industry Exchange and Project Cooperation Fair.

The International Travel Merchant Conference will be held on the afternoon of the 17th, gathering overseas travel merchants and well-known domestic cultural tourism enterprises. Through joint cultural tourism promotions by the Corps and the region, inbound tourism policy releases, and business negotiation exchanges, the conference aims to showcase new opportunities in Xinjiang's cultural tourism development and expand new spaces for Belt and Road cultural tourism exchanges.

Title: 2026 Xinjiang Culture and Tourism Development Conference | Policies + Incentives + Services: Xinjiang Cultural Tourism Wins Over Overseas Visitors

Source: SHILIUYUN / Xinjiang Daily

Published: June 9, 2026, 11:42:44

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SHILIUYUN / Xinjiang Daily (Reporter: Yao Gang) — The reporter learned from the press briefing for the 2026 Xinjiang Culture and Tourism Development Conference that in recent years, Xinjiang has focused on high-quality development of inbound tourism, implementing precise measures in policy guarantees, financial incentives, and service improvements to continuously optimize the inbound tourism development environment and constantly enhance Xinjiang's cultural tourism international influence.

Xinjiang continues to strengthen policy support and build a comprehensive guarantee system. In November 2025, the Autonomous Region People's Government issued "Several Measures on Accelerating High-Quality Development of Inbound and Border Tourism," focusing on visa facilitation, aviation-tourism integration, quality product supply, comprehensive service improvement, and overseas marketing promotion. Multiple implementable supporting measures were introduced to systematically resolve bottlenecks in inbound tourism development and solidify the policy and institutional foundation for large-scale, standardized, and international development of inbound and border tourism across the region.

Special incentive subsidies have been implemented to activate market entity vitality. The region has consecutively implemented special incentive policies for inbound tourism for two years, precisely supporting key travel agencies deeply cultivating overseas markets. To date, incentive funds totaling 1.3 million yuan have been distributed to 8 quality cultural tourism enterprises. Through positive incentives replacing subsidies, this has effectively mobilized travel agencies' enthusiasm and initiative in developing overseas customers, creating cross-border tourism routes, and connecting with international markets, fully releasing market development momentum and driving steady growth in overseas visitor numbers.

Convenient services are being optimized to enhance visitor travel experiences. The region continues to advance inbound tourism service quality upgrades, working with the People's Bank of China Xinjiang Branch to deploy foreign card POS machines, ATMs, and foreign currency exchange equipment at key cultural tourism venues and core merchants, ensuring smooth payment for overseas visitors. Meanwhile, passport scanners have been equipped in all four-star and five-star tourism hotels across the region to simplify foreign guest check-in procedures. Additionally, through strengthened cooperation with the Xinjiang Exit and Entry Border Inspection Station, port cultural tourism service guarantees are continuously optimized, comprehensively improving inbound visitor travel experiences and steadily broadening Xinjiang's cultural tourism opening-up pattern.

Title: 2026 Xinjiang Culture and Tourism Development Conference to Be Held in Hotan

Source: Chinanews.com Xinjiang

Published: June 8, 2026, 19:20:39

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On June 8, the press briefing for the 2026 Xinjiang Culture and Tourism Development Conference was held in Urumqi. The 2026 Culture and Tourism Development Conference will be held in Hotan City, Hotan Prefecture, from June 16 to 18. Representatives from 19 partner assistance provinces and cities, overseas travel merchants, and well-known domestic cultural tourism enterprises will be invited to attend. Co-hosted by the Autonomous Region People's Government and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, this year's conference carries the theme "Xinjiang is a Great Place — Myriad Melodies of Yutian," comprehensively showcasing cultural tourism achievements from the 14th Five-Year Plan and systematically planning the 15th Five-Year development layout, focusing on deep cultural-tourism integration, business innovation, and brand building to accelerate the promotion of the cultural tourism industry as a strategic pillar industry for enriching the people and strengthening the region.

The conference features a "1+1+N" event structure: one main cultural tourism development conference, one international travel merchant conference, and multiple supporting experience activities. It will also present premium performances including the dance drama "Five Stars Rising in the East," the immersive show "Myriad Melodies of Yutian," and the Yotkan Ancient City concert, alongside over 100 cultural, sports, and tourism events including the 2026 National State-Owned Cultural Tourism Group Industry Exchange and Project Cooperation Fair.

This year's conference has three major highlights. First, expanded international scope. Guests cover 24 countries, with upgraded openness breadth, cooperation depth, and customer source dimensions. The conference will release Autonomous Region inbound tourism facilitation policies and host an international travel merchant "Attracting Visitors to Xinjiang" cooperation signing ceremony to promote mutual customer sharing, joint product development, and market expansion. Second, deepened cultural-tourism integration. The conference includes pre-conference inspection tours, seminar discussions, nighttime immersive experiences, and on-site inspections to comprehensively showcase Xinjiang's cultural tourism resource charm. Third, strengthened Corps-Region partner assistance synergy. The conference continues to deepen coordinated Corps-Region development, maintaining a "unified chessboard" mindset to form a new "Corps-Region + Partner Assistance" dual-wheel-driven pattern.

What These Three Articles Mean for International Travelers

Value PointSpecific DetailsEasier VisasThe conference will release "Autonomous Region inbound tourism facilitation policies," and Xinjiang is systematically resolving bottlenecks in inbound tourismFrictionless PaymentsKey cultural tourism venues now have foreign card POS machines, ATMs, and currency exchange equipment — overseas visitors can pay "the moment they land"Smoother Hotel Check-insAll four-star and five-star hotels across the region are equipped with passport scanners, drastically simplifying foreign guest registrationMore International Flights Expected"Aviation-tourism integration" is listed as a key focus area, meaning more international routes and cross-border tourism products in the futureUpgraded Products & ServicesThe government is using 1.3 million yuan in special incentives to reward travel agencies developing overseas markets — expect more quality English / multilingual productsRicher ExperiencesPremium performances like "Five Stars Rising in the East" and Yotkan Ancient City concerts are becoming regular cultural tourism offerings24-Country Travel Agent Inspection ToursInternational travel agents are conducting on-site inspections to design routes better suited for foreign travelers, meaning more mature product choices

Bottom Line: In 2026, traveling to Xinjiang is getting easier across the board — visas, payments, accommodation, and itinerary choices are all upgrading. Now is an increasingly convenient time for foreign visitors to explore the region.