URUMQI, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Duku Highway, considered one of the most scenic roads in the country, opened to tourists on Saturday following its seasonal closure. It was the road's earliest seasonal reopening in five years.
The 561-kilometer highway connects Dushanzi in the north of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region with Kuqa City in the south, running through varied landscapes that include canyons, glaciers, lakes and grasslands.
The road attracts self-drive tourists and bikers from across China, but due to nature factors such as the occurrence of snow and icy roads, it is only open from June to October each year.
To respond to the increasing number of tourists and ensure improved services, Kuqa's government upgraded the infrastructure of the highway's scenic points ahead of its reopening.
Xinjiang has seen a tourism boom this year. During the May Day holiday, which ran from May 1 to 5, the region received approximately 8.56 million domestic tourists, up 6.3 percent year on year.
