Ban on Xinjiang glacier access by 2020

February 12 (TravelAndy): China has decided to ban tourism activities on the Xinjiang glacier, in a bid to conserve the fast eroding glacial layer, said reports.

By 2020, China hopes to put an end to glacier tourism and encourage holiday resorts, which will allow tourists to view the snow clad regions from afar.

Chinese government has requested support from all other countries, to execute ban on all glaciers that are located along the ancient Silk road route.

According to reports, glaciers in western China, including Xinjiang, Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan have been shrinking at the rate of 243 sq km per year. It amounts to a shrinking rate of 18 per cent since 1950s.