Xinjiang geopark to boost tourism

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has officially opened its first global geopark, turning an abandoned mine area in Keketuohai into a sustainable tourism destination that will improve local living standards.

Located south of the Altay Mountains and at the source of the Irtysh River, the park is the first global geopark in Xinjiang and covers more than 2,300 square kilometers. Visitors will be able to enjoy breathtaking views including the Irtysh Grand Canyon, a huge mine crater, lakes, mountains, a waterfall, fossils and rivers.

"The opening of Keketuohai geopark is a milestone in protecting the geological relics and developing tourism resources in a rational way," Du Shibao, director of geological environment at the Land and Resource Department, said at the park's opening ceremony on Oct 10.