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Explora: Environment
and Resource Tourism resources of Xinjiang

with its cultural advantages not fully exploited. Tourism it may also strain healthcare resources and contribute to
development should balance both cultural and natural environmental degradation. Good policies that fit the
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resources, as cultural resources can offer more lasting specific conditions of Xinjiang, specifically prioritizing
appeal. Xinjiang is rich in cultural resources, such as managing the potential negative consequences of tourism on
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traditional handicrafts, music, medicine, folklore, and health and the environment, are needed to make Xinjiang
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intangible cultural heritage. There is significant potential a region that can get rid of the natural resources curse
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for ethnic culture tours that combine natural landscapes and have a prosperous tourism industry. Considering the
and local traditions, as well as health and wellness tourism low economic development status of Xinjiang, there was
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focusing on Uyghur medicine. Given Xinjiang’s border a pairing-assistance policy for Xinjiang in China. This
location, border tourism can also be developed, such as policy pairs the relationship between the cities/counties
exploring the ethnic traditions, eco-tourism, health, and of Xinjiang and the economically developed regions of
cultural heritage along the Kazakhstan–China border. China. More communication, investment, technology,
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Besides economic aspects, the incorporation of local and talented individuals are provided to Xinjiang from the
communities benefits the sustainable development of corresponding pairs. This policy promoted the growth of
tourism. Zeng et al. found that collaboration between the tourism-related economy in Xinjiang by stimulating
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tourism enterprises and communities helps form the tourism market, optimizing the tourism employment
stable partnerships, promotes active co-construction of structure, and strengthening the availability of human
sustainable entrepreneurship opportunities to reduce resources. The effects have been more obvious since 2015,
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resource barriers and interest conflicts, and thus enhances and we also found an abrupt increase in tourism revenue
tourism sustainable entrepreneurship performance. from 2015 in Xinjiang (Figure 6).

4.4. Develop reasonable tourism policies 4.5. The development of reasonable tourism routes
Political instability leads to the loss of potential new or activities for targeted tourists
tourism destinations and the degradation of existing The reasonable arrangements of routes/activities for various
destinations. Tourism policies matter, especially in remote targeted groups are important to attract more tourists.
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areas. In southern Xinjiang, the development of regional For example, tourism activities for education, snow-ice
tourism largely relies on government initiatives, as market experiences, and hiking experiences are more for students,
forces alone cannot drive growth. Research by Zhang sports lovers, and adventurers. At present, local individuals
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et al. found that policy factors have a crucial impact on are the main source of tourists to Xinjiang ; more routes and
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the regional differences in Xinjiang’s tourism economy. activities are needed to attract more people from beyond
Research by Burton et al. also showed the importance Xinjiang, for example, the “Silk Road” tourism routes.
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7
of political factors on large scales. With favorable policies, In recent years, China’s tourism industry has developed
the absolute differences in tourism income increased while unevenly, shifting from a polycentric model to a polarized
relative differences decreased. Similarly, the establishment one, with eastern regions becoming wealthier while central
of forest parks, desert parks, and wetland parks is also and western regions, including Xinjiang, experience
greatly influenced by policies, which play a decisive role in poverty. The gross domestic product of the east region
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infrastructure construction and, in turn, influence tourism is about twice that of the west and central regions, with
development. At present, tourism models are shifting from tourism revenue in the eastern region being 10 times higher
traditional sightseeing tourism to a more holistic approach than in the west. Leveraging its rich natural, historical,
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based on self-driving and self-guided tours. In 2016, the and cultural tourism resources through reasonable policies,
National Tourism Administration listed 262 National All- effective tourism investment, professional route design, and
region Tourism Demonstration Zones, most of which are infrastructure construction, the region’s tourism resources
in southeastern China. Xinjiang only has eight, but with could be developed more efficiently.
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the right policies, there is significant potential for growth
in this area. 5. Limitations of the study
Xinjiang has large desert areas and is ecologically There are three main limitations of the research. First,
fragile and sensitive. Hence, a resilient tourism socio- this study analyzed the characteristics, geographical
ecological system is important to sustainable tourism distributions, and environmental conditions of the
development. For less developed nations, tourism can tourism destinations. However, a more detailed model to
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have mixed impacts on various dimensions of sustainable demonstrate the relationship between tourism destinations
development. It can boost economic growth, improve and environmental variables was not proposed. Second, the
educational attainment, and enhance social well-being; altitude, river and road system, and heatwave index, which

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 8 doi: 10.36922/EER025060010