URUMQI, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The number of tourists to northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region exceeded 150 million last year, up more than 40 percent, authorities at the ongoing session of the People's Congress of the region said Tuesday.

Xinjiang aims to achieve 40-percent growth for both tourist numbers and income in 2019, making tourism a pillar industry and major source of income for local people, said Shohrat Zakir, chairman of the Xinjiang regional government.

The region's government work report has vowed to build Xinjiang into a key area for tourism and a popular destination worldwide.