TOURISTS can now enjoy a virtual tour along Duku Highway, one of China’s most beautiful stretches of road, through a panoramic roaming system. The highway, connecting Dushanzi in the northern area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Kuqa County in the south, runs through glaciers, forests, grasslands and various other landforms. After scanning the QR code, travelers will enter a virtual world with information on an over 500-km stretch of the road, such as attractions, service facilities and updated traffic information. The system was launched by the Transport Department of Xinjiang. It is available via the department’s official WeChat account. The highway is only open for around five months every year due to natural factors such as snow and ice. This year, Xinjiang upgraded the highway’s safety measures and facilities by increasing the presence of guard railings, installing netting for rockfall protection, and adding more parking areas, viewing platforms, toilets and garbage cans. (Xinhua) | 