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szdaily -> Special Report -> 
Young startups spring up in Old Town Kashgar
    2018-09-04  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

UNDER the scorching July sun, Old Town Kashgar was teeming with visitors, feeding an endless stream of customers to the beverage shop run by Zhang Saxia. This is something Zhang never expected to see before: her easeful living running a small business in the old town has turned into busy days with never-ending streams of customers.

Since the beginning of this year, many young people have rushed to Old Town Kashgar to start their own businesses, and Zhang is one of them. A young girl from Sichuan Province, Zhang traveled to Kashgar for the first time in the summer last year.

Once in Kashgar, she immediately fell in love with the traditional folk houses with antique touches, the hospitable residents, the time-honored earthenware, pottery and bronze ware, and the winding alleys throughout the place.

When she went back to Chengdu, Zhang quit her job at an English training institute and returned to Kashgar. “I didn’t want to leave once I stepped onto the soil of Old Town Kashgar,” said Zhang.

For her first months, Zhang indulged herself in the rustic Kashgar scenery, wandering around and exploring every nook and cranny. In mid-May, Zhang officially opened her beverage store. She also makes and sells postcards from the photos she takes of the old town.

“Clothing stores, beverage stores, and shops selling outdoor products ... more and more young people come here to start their business,” said Zhang, saying she met most of her new friends in Kashgar after starting her business. These young people are not only optimistic about the rising tourist industry, but also in love with the easy and slow lifestyle it afforded.

Chen Liang, owner of a youth hostel in the Old Town, is a frequenter of Zhang’s beverage store. Chen was one of the first young people to start a business in there. “Since last year, more and more entrepreneurs have come [to Old Town Kashgar]. Gradually, we have gotten to know each other and now gather together from time to time to share our experiences,” said Chen, adding that it is the popular tourist attractions of the old town that lures the startups.

Twenty-eight-year-old Wang Zhen from Shenzhen founded company Cugtrip.com, specializing in tourism to Xinjiang. Tourism caught Wang’s eye ever since he traveled to Xinjiang as a junior in university.

Wang said that he wanted to promote everything nice and beautiful about Xinjiang to people outside the area, including local Kashgar residents who he befriended, like Tursun Zunun and Bishara.

Bishara is the first minority employee hired by Wang. She invited Wang to her wedding, which further inspired Wang to promote tourism in Xinjiang. After much research, Wang found that the tourist market of Xinjiang has great potential for growth. According to the data on ctrip.com and tuniu.com, tourism in Xinjiang was the fastest-growing of all destinations across the country in 2016. Xinjiang is home to 12 5A-level tourist attractions.

Zunun is a 61-year-old craftsman that lives in the Old Town Kashgar. Wang once saw the simple-looking pottery in a bazaar in Kashgar. Though not many people paid attention to it, Wang was drawn to look inside the house where Zunun created the soil pottery.

After chatting with Zunun, Wang found out that he is one of the sixth-generation successors of soil pottery art. Wang also learned that the once-thriving network of soil pottery workshops has been reduced to no more than three now. With fewer and fewer customers, Zunun only earns a bit over 1,000 yuan (US$147) per month.

“The clay is brought to life by the magic of his hands. It should be known by more people,” said Wang. Later, Wang started promoting the “Pomegranate Seed Plan” to tourists, which enables tourists to learn the art of pottery making with local craftsmen like Zunun.

Ekber Eziz, 34, comes from Yecheng County in Kashgar. In 2005, he graduated from Xinjiang Vocational University majoring in hairdressing. Half a year later, he worked in real estate sales. With his kid growing up and family living conditions improving, Eziz came up with a new idea.

A sports lover since childhood, Eziz took up sports again. On July 15, 2007, he departed from the plaza in his hometown and cycled to Beijing in celebration of the Olympic Games.

Eziz is a cyber star in the field of outdoor sports in Xinjiang, so many tour pals who cycle along National Highway 219 ask him for help. Eziz always brings these guests to his house to introduce them to local customs and provide them with maintenance and supplies.

In May this year, Eziz became the legal representative of a tourist company that is entrusted by the local government to manage the tourism sector of the ancient city of Sigiriya, which is one kilometer to the northwest of the government of Luoke Village of Yecheng County. Because there is no historic record, the place is quite mysterious.

“The policy is good but the task is quite challenging,” said Eziz. There are not many people working in local tourism. Professional tour guides and service teams for tourist attractions are lacking. Most villagers are from low-income families without much professional experience or customer service skills.

To deal with this, Eziz organizes trainings for them. “Now the ancient city of Sigiriya can receive up to 500 visitors a day. The villagers are capable of reception work. They earn over 1,000 yuan each month, and will be rid of poverty pretty soon,” said Eziz excitedly.

(Chen Xiaochun)

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