Media attending the "2015 Journey in Beautiful China-Inner Mongolia" arrived in Hulun Buir, bordering Russia, Mongolia and China's Heilongjiang province, on June 12. They visited scenic spots like Eergu'Na Wetland, Hulun Buir Prairie and Genhe Origin National Wetland Park over two days.

A welcome ceremony in the Hulun Buir Prairie [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Hulun Buir's administrative center is located at Hailar district, its largest urban area. The city's major scenic features are the high steppes of the Hulun Buir grasslands, the Hulun and Buir lakes, and the Greater Hinggan Mountains Range.

Hulun Buir received 12.94 million tourists from home and abroad in 2014, up 13.42 percent over 2013; and yielded 36.42 billion yuan ($5.87 billion) in tourism, up 30.6 percent over 2013, said the director of the local tourist bureau Tuo Ya at a tourism promotion meeting on June 13.

She added that in the first quarter in 2015, Hulun Buir received 1.85 million foreign and domestic tourists, up 8.2 percent over 2014; and drew 5 billion yuan from tourism income, up 14.5 percent over 2014.

Recently, the city has improved winter tourism, border tourism, forest tourism and rural tourism through vigorous promotion, brand development and regional cooperation.

For example, the number of foreign and domestic tourists in Hulun Buir last winter increased 24.4 percent over 2013 to 1.93 million, with 5.24 billion yuan in tourism revenue, up 25 percent over 2013, thanks to activities like winter swimming competitions, ice carving competitions and snowmobile racing.

Sheep in the Hulun Buir Prairie [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Hulun Buir is now developing six scenic spots to the national 5A level over the next three years to upgrade the city's tourism.

Meanwhile, the government will invest 27 million yuan in tourism service stations, integrating restrooms, parking lots, stores, sightseeing stands and cultural exhibition areas, along the main roads to facilitate travel.