BEIJING, Sept. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from China Daily
From snow-capped mountains to expansive grasslands, and from pristine lakes to desolate deserts, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has become a premier tourist destination with its stunning landscapes.
In the 1950s, however, Xinjiang was a distant dream for most people, limited by its remote location and poor transportation. The region's vast distance and challenging travel conditions made it difficult for many to experience its natural beauty and rich culture firsthand.
Over the past 70 years, Xinjiang has undergone remarkable transformations, particularly in its cultural and tourism sectors, which have become strategic pillars for boosting local well-being and happiness.
The development of Xinjiang's tourism industry has been closely linked with China's reform and opening-up policies. In 1978, the Xinjiang tourism bureau was established, and the region received fewer than 100 visitors that year — all of them international. It was not until the 1990s that domestic tourism began to steadily increase.
Wu Feng, president of the Xinjiang Travel Agency Association, has been involved in the region's tourism industry for 38 years.
At that time, Xinjiang had few tourist attractions and weak infrastructure, Wu recalled. There were primarily two routes: one covering Tianchi Lake, Nanshan Pasture and Turpan, and the other known as the "southern Xinjiang tour", which included Urumqi, Turpan, Kuqa, Korla, Aksu and Kashgar.
"In the 1990s, it would take at least an hour and a half to travel one way to Nanshan. Now, the same amount of time is enough for a round trip," Wu said.
Back then, it took three and a half hours to drive to Turpan, so all tour groups had to stay overnight. This changed in the early 2000s with the opening of the highway, which paved the way for more tourism routes, according to Wu.
In recent years, Xinjiang has expanded its service facilities, including transportation, accommodation and dining. With more direct flight routes, interconnected highways, high-speed rail lines and dedicated tourist trains, an increasingly convenient transportation network has spurred rapid development in Urumqi and across the region.
Official data show that in 2024, Xinjiang received more than 300 million visits, with visitor spending reaching 359.54 billion yuan ($50.4 billion), marking year-on-year increases of 14 percent and 21 percent, respectively. In the first quarter of 2025, visits grew by 9.08 percent and spending by 12.58 percent year-on-year.
With the implementation of a tourism-driven strategy, Xinjiang's cultural and tourism industries have flourished. Using the region's landscapes as a canvas and integrating culture with tourism, these industries have become key drivers of growth, ranking among Xinjiang's top 10 industrial clusters.
"The beauty, vastness, harmony, richness, flavor and progress of Xinjiang constitute the core attraction of its cultural and tourism industry cluster," said Xu Ruijun, Party secretary of the region's department of culture and tourism.
Today, Xinjiang boasts 18 national 5A-rated tourist sites, ranking third nationwide, and 776 A-rated scenic spots, ranking fourth. It has also established numerous national-level cultural trade hubs, scenic areas, ski resorts, leisure streets, nighttime tourism zones, and demonstration areas for culture-tourism integration. New tourism products and business models are continuing to emerge.
In 2024, Xinjiang welcomed 5.15 million international tourists, a year-on-year increase of 46 percent, generating $4.48 billion in revenue, up 174 percent. From January to April 2025, the region received 1.12 million international visits, a 7.67 percent increase year-on-year, with international tourism revenue reaching $1.07 billion, up 13.18 percent, according to official data.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Xinjiang transforms as cultural and tourism center
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The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be held in New Delhi, India for the first time
SINGAPORE, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The AVPN Global Conference 2026, Asia's largest convening of social and impact investors will be held from 25 to 27 August 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India. The thirteenth edition of AVPN's signature annual Conference, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Asia", convenes global leaders in corporate philanthropy, family offices, private foundations, impact investing and impact organisations. This year, the Conference aligns with India's transformative Viksit Bharat Vision 2047, the government's vision to become a developed nation by 2047. The Conference presents an opportunity for global delegates to experience India's leadership in social innovation, and it also provides a platform for India's leadership and innovation to be included in Asia's social investment growth story.
Asia today faces a stark contrast between immense private wealth and deep, underfunded social needs. The region is home to nearly 40% of the world's billionaires, with 61 new billionaires in 2025, together amassing USD 124.4 billion. This juxtaposes with the fact that Asia Pacific also faces an annual financing gap of USD 1.5 trillion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Traditional development funding has retreated, and the world is experiencing a turning point in terms of resources and leadership. Amidst these challenges, Asia's leaders are stepping up to lead in impact through bold, people-first social development initiatives, powered by cross-sector collaboration, catalytic capital, and digital transformation, alongside other pioneering development models. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will spotlight global and Asian leaders, leverage philanthropy, impact investing, and blended finance as key levers to channel capital towards bold, collaborative opportunities for action.
Achal Agarwal, Chair, AVPN said, "Asia stands at a defining point where leadership must be measured not by aspiration, but by action. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is intentionally designed as a platform where those who influence capital, policy, and institutions come together to shape practical pathways forward. Hosting the Conference in India for the first time reflects Asia's growing confidence in designing solutions at scale, grounded in local realities and relevant to the world. This is about moving from dialogue to execution, and from promise to progress."
Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer, AVPN said, "Even as Asia becomes home to some of the world's fastest-growing pools of private wealth, we continue to face an annual SDG financing gap of well over a trillion US dollars that leaves critical needs in health, education, climate resilience, and livelihoods unmet. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is about changing that trajectory by bringing together philanthropic leaders, funders, investors, policymakers, and enterprises from across Asia to move capital more boldly and more collaboratively into solutions that can transform communities at scale. In a decade that will define the future of our people and our planet, we can no longer afford for Asia's wealth and Asia's social needs to exist in parallel worlds. This Conference is where those worlds must finally converge."
Prominent speakers at the Conference include Ajay Piramal (Chairman, Piramal Group), Boon Heong Ng (Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation), Prof. Larry Kramer (President & Vice-chancellor, London School of Economics & Political Science), Neerja Birla (Founder & Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust), Piyush Gupta (Chairman, Singapore Management University), Tony Tan (Executive Director, CapitaLand Hope Foundation), and more to be announced in the coming months.
Spotlight on Impact Investing
The Conference will feature a dedicated Impact Investing Day, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Impact Investing and Blended Finance". It will showcase projects ready for investment or blended-finance structures, the design and activation of catalytic capital, global investor dialogues linking asset owners with regional pipelines, and transition roadmaps from philanthropy to concessional or market-rate investments. It will also spotlight several signature multilateral and ecosystem initiatives, and offer delegates - leading Limited Partners (LPs), General Partners (GPs), development finance institutions, and multilateral development banks - the opportunities to unlock investment capital for impact.
Be a Part of the Action: Early Bird Registrations Now Open
With an anticipated 2,000 delegates, and more than 100 sessions held over three days, AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be more than a convening, it is a platform for collaboration, the site for action, and the blueprint for a positive, prosperous, and inclusive future.
More information and ticket details are available on the AVPN website at https://avpn.asia/conference/
About AVPN
AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 700 diverse members across 43 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead social impact efforts across key pillars while improving the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront.
For more information about AVPN and our work, please visit our website and read our latest Annual Review 2024 -25.
The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be held in New Delhi, India for the first time
SINGAPORE, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The AVPN Global Conference 2026, Asia's largest convening of social and impact investors will be held from 25 to 27 August 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India. The thirteenth edition of AVPN's signature annual Conference, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Asia", convenes global leaders in corporate philanthropy, family offices, private foundations, impact investing and impact organisations. This year, the Conference aligns with India's transformative Viksit Bharat Vision 2047, the government's vision to become a developed nation by 2047. The Conference presents an opportunity for global delegates to experience India's leadership in social innovation, and it also provides a platform for India's leadership and innovation to be included in Asia's social investment growth story.
Asia today faces a stark contrast between immense private wealth and deep, underfunded social needs. The region is home to nearly 40% of the world's billionaires, with 61 new billionaires in 2025, together amassing USD 124.4 billion. This juxtaposes with the fact that Asia Pacific also faces an annual financing gap of USD 1.5 trillion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Traditional development funding has retreated, and the world is experiencing a turning point in terms of resources and leadership. Amidst these challenges, Asia's leaders are stepping up to lead in impact through bold, people-first social development initiatives, powered by cross-sector collaboration, catalytic capital, and digital transformation, alongside other pioneering development models. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 will spotlight global and Asian leaders, leverage philanthropy, impact investing, and blended finance as key levers to channel capital towards bold, collaborative opportunities for action.
Achal Agarwal, Chair, AVPN said, "Asia stands at a defining point where leadership must be measured not by aspiration, but by action. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is intentionally designed as a platform where those who influence capital, policy, and institutions come together to shape practical pathways forward. Hosting the Conference in India for the first time reflects Asia's growing confidence in designing solutions at scale, grounded in local realities and relevant to the world. This is about moving from dialogue to execution, and from promise to progress."
Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer, AVPN said, "Even as Asia becomes home to some of the world's fastest-growing pools of private wealth, we continue to face an annual SDG financing gap of well over a trillion US dollars that leaves critical needs in health, education, climate resilience, and livelihoods unmet. The AVPN Global Conference 2026 is about changing that trajectory by bringing together philanthropic leaders, funders, investors, policymakers, and enterprises from across Asia to move capital more boldly and more collaboratively into solutions that can transform communities at scale. In a decade that will define the future of our people and our planet, we can no longer afford for Asia's wealth and Asia's social needs to exist in parallel worlds. This Conference is where those worlds must finally converge."
Prominent speakers at the Conference include Ajay Piramal (Chairman, Piramal Group), Boon Heong Ng (Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation), Prof. Larry Kramer (President & Vice-chancellor, London School of Economics & Political Science), Neerja Birla (Founder & Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust), Piyush Gupta (Chairman, Singapore Management University), Tony Tan (Executive Director, CapitaLand Hope Foundation), and more to be announced in the coming months.
Spotlight on Impact Investing
The Conference will feature a dedicated Impact Investing Day, themed "A Blueprint for Action in Impact Investing and Blended Finance". It will showcase projects ready for investment or blended-finance structures, the design and activation of catalytic capital, global investor dialogues linking asset owners with regional pipelines, and transition roadmaps from philanthropy to concessional or market-rate investments. It will also spotlight several signature multilateral and ecosystem initiatives, and offer delegates - leading Limited Partners (LPs), General Partners (GPs), development finance institutions, and multilateral development banks - the opportunities to unlock investment capital for impact.
Be a Part of the Action: Early Bird Registrations Now Open
With an anticipated 2,000 delegates, and more than 100 sessions held over three days, AVPN Global Conference 2026 will be more than a convening, it is a platform for collaboration, the site for action, and the blueprint for a positive, prosperous, and inclusive future.
More information and ticket details are available on the AVPN website at https://avpn.asia/conference/
About AVPN
AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 700 diverse members across 43 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead social impact efforts across key pillars while improving the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront.
For more information about AVPN and our work, please visit our website and read our latest Annual Review 2024 -25.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Asia's Largest Social Investment Conference Urges Global Changemakers to Convene and Set the Impact Agenda for Asia
