Road trips a route to prosperity

The growing number of travelers who drive through Xinjiang is providing new poverty-alleviation opportunities to villagers.

The trend in which more Chinese travelers are driving to their destinations is paving the way for poverty alleviation in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Two road-trip routes in the region were recently listed among western China's top-10 driving itineraries by the China National Tourism Administration and the State Council's Poverty Relief Office.

The list is intended to encourage travelers to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations and create livelihood opportunities along the way.

Xinjiang has long been popular with travelers who take the wheel themselves. They enjoy its remarkable landscapes and ethnic culture.

One of the listed Xinjiang routes runs 1,800 kilometers through Korla, Aksu, Kashgar and Hotan.

Drivers visit the Kuqa Grand Canyon, Kizil Grottoes and the Taklimakan Desert.

The other covers part of the Hexi Silk Road corridor between Gansu province and Xinjiang's far west. It spans over 2,000 km, covering Turpan, Urumqi, Narat and Horgos. Highlights include Tianchi Lake, Urumqi's Grand Bazaar and the Narat Grassland.