China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region received over 200 million tourists in 2019, generating tourism revenue of 340 billion yuan ($48.9 billion), according to the third session of the 13th People's Congress of the autonomous region held this Monday.

Tourists dance in a scenic zone in Awat County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo/Xinhua)

Both the figures represented a year-on-year growth of 40 percent.

Shohrat Zakir, chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s government, delivered a government work report during the session, saying Xinjiang's GDP is expected to hit 1.4 trillion yuan in 2019, 6 percent more than that of a year before.

According to the government work report, Xinjiang's efforts to improve quality and efficiency of its agriculture and animal husbandry have been successful, and the fruits grown in southern Xinjiang have been exported on a large scale for the first time.

Xinjiang's industrial investment in the last year is estimated to have grown by 9 percent, and the value added for industrial enterprises above the designated size is expected to increase by 5 percent.

Tertiary industry contributed to over 63 percent of Xinjiang's economy last year, the government work report said, adding that the autonomous region will strive to attract 300 million visitors the next year.

Shohrat Zakir explained that Xinjiang spent more than 70 percent of its financial budget on securing and improving people's livelihoods. The number of jobs created in the region the last year is expected to reach 480,000, and more than 2.8 million surplus rural laborers have secured jobs in other regions.

In addition, Xinjiang has also accelerated its project to improve drinking water safety in rural areas, offering cleaner water for over 340,000 people.

Xinjiang renovated more than 9,300 households, putting an end to the era of impoverished people living in dilapidated houses.