High up in the Altay region of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the Chinese mainland, winter has always meant serene snowscapes and hushed villages. But this season, those frozen plains are warming up with activity.
Ski slopes are buzzing as visitors glide beneath clear blue skies, while nightfall brings music festivals under strings of lights. Local chefs serve steaming bowls of hand-pulled noodles and spiced lamb kebabs, giving travelers a taste of Uygur heritage. The result is a vibrant winter scene that feels worlds away from the quiet of years past.
At the heart of this transformation is Abdullah Ali, a young entrepreneur who studied tourism management in Urumqi before returning home. Every year when the first snow falls, he opens his family homestay to guests from across the country. With a fresh social media campaign highlighting authentic experiences—sled rides, folk music evenings and home-cooked feasts—his rooms are fully booked well into spring.
Abdullah’s success shows how digital storytelling and local culture can fuel rural growth. As more travelers seek immersive, off-the-beaten-path adventures, Altay’s mountain villages are proving that winter tourism can spark new economic life—all while preserving the traditions that make this corner of the Chinese mainland so unique.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
