Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China has an abundance of tourism resources, which ranks in the forefront of the country, said tourism director of the region.

Xinjiang has by now developed 1,171 scenic spots in 67 basic categories, said Naimu Jasen, director of Tourism Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at the just-concluded 2005 China International Tourism Fair held in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan province.

The revenue generated by the tourism industry in Xinjiang accounted for 5.88 percent of the region's GDP in 2004, he said.

The famous tourist attractions in the region include cities of historic and cultural interest, scenic sites, natural reserves and forest parks at the national level as well as 227 historic and cultural relics at the national or provincial levels.

Xinjiang occupies an area of 1.66 million square kilometers, or one sixth of the country's total, which varies vastly in geographic structures and landforms and has miraculous landscapes, in addition to numerous charming rivers and lakes, deserts and oasis, the official said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2005)