China's Xinjiang unveils six new scenic highway routes to boost tourism

URUMQI -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has unveiled six new scenic highways, investing 10.7 billion yuan (about $1.5 billion) to develop 965 km of tourism-focused roads.

The routes connect diverse landscapes, from snow-capped mountains and grasslands to forests, lakes, deserts and oases, and aim to enhance the region's "fast entry, slow travel" transportation network and enrich self-driving tourism experiences, according to the regional transport department.

The newly constructed highways are designed to bridge key attractions across Xinjiang's vast terrain, where destinations are often widely dispersed, the department said.

Xinjiang has intensified efforts to build a multidimensional travel network in recent years. Alongside the highways, the region has expanded aviation routes, launched specialty railway circuits like the Taklimakan Desert Loop, and developed iconic tourist roads.