Eight years ago, Ayinurgul Anigul was a teenager growing up in Bulayiq in the Turpan Basin, without any knowledge of tourism. She didn't know what to make of the strangers and the "good-looking elder brothers and sisters holding little flags".

"Then I knew that it was because Bulayiq was rated as a 5A scenic spot. The people holding flags were tour guides and those strangers were here to visit," said Anigul, 26.

Impressed by the tour guides, Anigul chose to become one. Her first travel group was from Hunan province. "I was so nervous that I forgot all the lines. But they were still very nice to me, and they wanted to see the place where I live," she said.

Anigul found many tourists were interested in local culture and village life in the eastern part of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Driven by the demand, Anigul and her family started to provide services to tourists in 2010. They made 150,000 yuan ($24,000) in the first year.

"I do the interpretation work as a tour guide. My parents can cook local food, and my brother and sister-in-law can perform dance," Anigul said. "As we developed, the local tourism authority provided funds for us to upgrade our facility. This really motivated us and our neighbors."

With more tourists visiting Xinjiang, Anigul said tourism has truly helped the lives of local residents.

"In March, we held an apricot blossom tourism fair. Organizers gave us the priority to set our booth there, and it gave local herdsmen an extra channel to make profits," she said.

"The tourists came to Bulayiq and spent more than 70,000 yuan on roasted meat and raisins. Our village-themed tourism service also earned 20,000 yuan."