Bayan hot springs played host to a desert car race this year, which attracted more than 900 000 visitors. Many residents there rented their houses as home stays and made quite some money out of it. This remote town in Alxa League, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was insignificant till now, plagued by dry and sandy winds and sparse land from over grazing. About 93% of it is sand or rocks and deserts occupy around third of its total area.
Many of the region’s residents have turned to grazing for making a living, which has turned the environment more unfriendly. With more than 1.5 million square kilometers of sandy areas, China has one of the worst records for desertification in the world. The Vice Premier Wang Yang spoke about the measures taken by China to preserve the environment and build a greener China, controlling desertification.
The local government of Alxa League has turned to developing tourism in the deserts for improving the environment and assists its residents. Many herdsmen have been employed at local tourist destinations by tour companies. Local accommodations and catering businesses have also improved due to increased number of tourists. Many hotels also increased their room price. As a result, tourism revenue also went rising. Many locals found new ways to make money from the tourism boom.
