China used a London travel show to promote its narrative of Xinjiang in the West and encourage tourism in the far-western region, despite the government’s ongoing repression of the nearly 12 million mostly Muslim Uyghurs who live there. The event sparked criticism from human rights activists, who have spoken out against Beijing’s efforts to falsely show foreign visitors that Uyghurs in Xinjiang are thriving.
The Bureau of Culture and Tourism of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region staffed a booth called “Xinjiang is a good place” at the World Travel Market trade show in London on Nov. 5-7. Attendees could learn about “the most magical charm of Xinjiang” and “experience the diverse ethnic culture,” said a description of the booth on the trade show’s website. Staff handed out coupons for hotels, scenic spots and ski resorts to participating guests to encourage more international visitors to travel to Xinjiang, a report in the Chinese state-run Global Times said.