Zeelfiya Akemsan is a tour guide from Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. After graduating in 2019, Zeelfiya Akemsan returned to her hometown and found her niche in the tourism industry. Working as a tour guide at the Pamir Plateau Scenic Area, Akemsan has been committing herself to introducing Xinjiang's folk culture and sceneries to travelers arriving in the region from home and abroad.

Since December 2019, the Pamir Plateau Scenic Area has been rated as a national 5A-level tourist attraction, receiving more than 700,000 visitors in 2020. The booming tourist sector has provided a large array of job opportunities for local villagers, who are now marching towards a better life.

When asked about the Western media's accusations of "cultural genocide" being committed in Xinjiang, Akemsan said that it was "totally groundless". "They are just turning a blind eye to Xinjiang's development and people's happiness. I sincerely invite friends from around the world to come and see the beautiful Taxkorgan County for themselves," she said. 

(Source: People's Daily Online)