In a bid to revive its tourism industry following the recent violent terror attacks, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has announced plans to offer 500 yuan (about US $80) to every tourist who will visit the region.

But it will not be very easy to attract tourists to Xinjiang, experts said, following the terrorist attack at a railway station in Kunming, a stabbing spree that has injured a number of civilians, and the explosion that occurred on 30 April at the Urumqi railway station.

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"The region's tourism has suffered a lot due to the violent terror attacks," said Xinjiang Tourism Bureau director Inam Naiserdin.

Details about the 500-yuan subsidy were not immediately disclosed by Naiserdin expressed optimism that the subsidy, along with the intensive marketing campaign of the tourism bureau, will revitalize the tourism industry of Xinjiang.

Last year, majority of tourists to Xinjiang were in the region to ski or skate but since the terror attack in Kunming last March, the number of inbound tourists to the region dropped by 40 percent.

Naiserdin said the Xinjiang Tourism Bureau was already celebrating after noticing that the number of visitors in the first three months of the year was already increasing even if the first quarter was often a slack season for tourism.

From January to March, the region welcomed around 6.8 million tourists, a 10 percent increase from a year ago. But Since the March attack, the tourism industry of Xinjiang started to suffer.

Aside from the subsidy, the tourism bureau also hoped that its tapping into the Silk Road heritage will further attract more tourists. It also plans to offer more exciting itineraries for tourists who will visit Xinjiang.

"We want to show tourists that travel in Xinjiang is safe," said Naiserdin.

Naiserdin said the region also offers programs for Xinjiang natives who want to tour their province.

Tagsxinjiang tourism, xinjiang tourism subsidy