The 7th International Tourism Festival of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region kicked off in Karamay over the weekend. The festival is striving to give a further boost to the booming tourism industry in the region.

The 7th International Tourism Festival of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region kicked off in Karamay over the weekend.

Aiming to promote the natural beauty of Xinjiang and its oil industry, this year's tourism festival opened in Karamay, one of China's major oil producing and refinery centers.

The climax of the opening ceremony showcased the dynamic ethnic dancing and singing unique to the region's Uygur community.

Foreign diplomats from 25 countries were present.

Summer is the conventional peak season for tourism in Xinjiang. The host city, Karamay, hopes to draw more visitors to the lesser-explored northern part of Xinjiang.

Chen Xinfa, Mayor of Karamay, Xinjiang, said, "As the host city of the Xinjiang International Tourism Festival, Karamay is at the center of the spotlight. The city is better known as an oil producing hub than a place with rich tourism resources. But really you would find that a visit to Karamay and its surrounding areas is worthwhile."

As the home of unspoiled natural scenery and diverse ethnic culture, Xinjiang is gaining an international reputation as a must see spot along China's tourist trail.

Xinjiang receives over 30 million tourists every year which brings in a gross revenue of more than 30 billion yuan.

The local government has been working on upgrading Xinjiang's tourism facilities and services to brace for the growth of local tourism.