On April 26, 2025, the Alashankou International Passenger Station was bustling with activity as 34 tourists from various parts of Xinjiang gathered to embark on the "Alashankou-Dostyk, Kazakhstan" cross-border day trip. Since its regular operation began in January this year, this marks the first time that the tourists coming from out of the Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture accounted for 45 percent of the group, signaling that the appeal of this cross-border travel route has expanded from locals to the people across the whole of Xinjiang.

Photo shows tourists wait in the departure lounge of Alashankou International Passenger Station in Alashankou City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.(Photo by Wen Yahui)

Since the beginning of this year, the "Alashankou-Dostyk, Kazakhstan" cross-border day tour has successfully organized 27 group trips, attracting over 400 tourists. Unlike earlier tours, which primarily drew visitors from Alashankou and surrounding areas in Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, 45 percent of the latest group came from other parts of Xinjiang, including Aksu Prefecture, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, and Alar City.

Thanks to online-offline promotions and targeted social media campaigns, inquiries about cross-border travel within Xinjiang have increased nearly fivefold since the tours began. With facilitated visa policies and optimized travel packages, more residents in Xinjiang are adding this route to their weekend visiting list.

Liu Zhenzhen, a tourist from Bole City, shared, "Dostyk feels so close, just a quick trip there and back in a day. I wanted to explore and bring back some imported snacks for my family. I’m really looking forward to it!"

Photo shows police officers verify the identities of outbound passengers at the Alashankou immigration border checkpoint in Alashankou City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Wen Yahui)

Facing the growing trend of cross-border passenger flow this year, the immigration border checkpoint at Alashankou has selected police officers proficient in foreign languages to provide multilingual services. Additionally, by adopting a model that involves prior filing of information, centralized inspection and release, coordination between China and Kazakhstan, and opening "green channels," the checkpoint has continuously improved clearance efficiency, facilitating deeper and more substantive cross-border tourism.

Yan Xiaohua, a tourist from Alar City, said, "We submitted the relevant documents the day before, and they processed them very quickly. The border inspection and tour group services were excellent, and today’s customs clearance was extremely fast and smooth."

The regular operation of the "Alashankou-Dostyk, Kazakhstan" cross-border day trip has not only opened up a new "impromptu" travel option for tourists within Xinjiang but has also leveraged the "micro-cross-border, deep-experience" model to drive better and faster development of border cultural and tourism economies.

(The Media Convergence Center of Alashankou City, Reporters: Wen Yahui and Xu Chao)