Table 2 Specific risk type and detailed information.

Traffic risk

Concerns about the optimal mode of transportation, for instance: Should one choose to take plane or take a train?

“The other three of us took the airport bus to Urumqi Dibaba Airport in the afternoon and returned to Nanjing on a 5 pm flight, ending a total of 18 days in Xinjiang.”

Seasonal risk

Concerns regarding the most favorable time to visit Xinjiang, for instance: When is the optimal season to travel to Xinjiang?

“In summer, Kurdin is surrounded by green hills, winding rapids, mountains and rivers, ditches and mountains, grass as green under the morning mist, grasslands and forests, deep gorges and wide valleys, the beauty of the landscape is unforgettable.”

Entry risk

Concerns regarding entry procedures for Xinjiang, for instance: “Do I need to obtain a frontier pass for entry?”

“Today we found the entrance to Wichai Beach and canceled the trip to Karamay—Urho District.”

Time risk

Concerns regarding the duration of the trip and the itinerary schedule, such as: “What is the travel time from Jinan to Xinjiang?”

“The last photo was taken at 20:37 pm, so the best time to visit the Wucai Beach site is at sunrise or sunset, it will be more beautiful”

Climate risk

Concerns about local climate and weather, for instance: “How strong is the sun in Xinjiang? Is it extremely dry?”

“The window next to the car can be adjusted to open the size of the window, but there is a shower, can take a hot shower is very good, next to the external air conditioning, in the campground plugged in the case of electricity, can continue to turn on the cold air”

Health risk

Concerns about possible physical discomfort, e.g., “Is the altitude sickness serious in Xinjiang?”

“The people who were with us were tired, sleepy and not good at long walks, so they decided to walk alone.”

Accommodation risk

Concerns about finding the most suitable accommodation, for instance, “Is it convenient to get comfortable accommodation in Xinjiang?”

“The advantages of the hotel are, firstly, the good breakfast and, secondly, the external environment.”

Security risk

Concerns about the safety of the city, the places of interest, for instance, “Is it safe to travel alone in Xinjiang?”

“I have never experienced this sense of security in the dozens of cities I have visited in more than a dozen provinces and regions.”

Ticket risk

Concerns about the ticket information (price, whether you can get it, the visit time limits, etc.), for instance, “Where can I get the cheapest ticket here?”

“This time the ticket is free and it has no visit time limits, you can just follow the subscription during the current epidemic”

Agency risk

Concerns about whether the best travel agency can be selected, and concerns about the quality of travel services, for instance, “I’d like to find a travel agency in Xinjiang, do you have any recommendations?”

“Xinjiang is too big, and the attractions are relatively scattered, you can take the following three ways: one is with a group tour, with the group, but the time is not free, in addition to the elderly tourists, I do not recommend too young people choose to follow the group”

Openness risk

Concerns about whether the attractions are open, for instance, “Is the Kanas Lake in Xinjiang open?”

“I don’t know if it’s early or if the openness is not allowed since the doors are closed and some are locked”

Expense risk

Concerns about the travel costs, e.g., “How much does it cost to travel from Jinan to Xinjiang?”

“We settled on a Mitsubishi Pajero with Master Zhang of the Xinjiang Snow Region Club for a total of 14 days at a cost of 13,300 RMB, plus the driver’s accommodation and food expenses.”

Equipment risk

Concerns about equipment (not include clothes, however), e.g., “What necessities do I need to prepare?”

“After arriving at Xi’an airport, I quickly went to the transit counter and checked my luggage in.”

Route selection risk

Concerns about the selection of route and the places of interest, for instance, “I want to know which itinerary is better?”

“We quickly ensure the itinerary and the destination”

Shopping risk

Concerns about the convenience of shopping, and concerns about its quality, for instance, “What are the best places of shopping in Xinjiang?”

“This is a viewpoint of the “Sixty-sixth Road Turning”, but also has stalls selling tourist souvenirs and facilities such as public toilets”

Snow risk

Concerns about whether to snow or not because snow is a particular feature in Xinjiang area, which can do harm to tourists, for instance, “Is it freezing cold and snowy in winter?”

“Moustagh glacier behind the lake, the year-round snow does not melt, and the lake and the mountains and the color of all in one, picturesque and mesmerizing, at that moment any words seem pale and powerless!”

Food risk

Concerns about the convenience of dining, and concerns about its quality, for instance, “Where is the best place for dining in Xinjiang?”

“This snack bar has freshly made handmade rice and raw skewers!”

Clothing risk

Concerns about what clothes to bring, for instance, “What clothes should I wear when arriving Xinjiang?”

“Wrapped up in two sleeping bags both still had to put the down jacket on, but the good thing was that it went smoothly through the late night, the sun came up early, and it didn’t take long to feel the warmth from the sunshine”

Nation risk

Concerns about many things related to minority, for instance, “What are the routine of minorities here?” (mainly focusing on minority group)

“Minority lifestyles are largely modernized”

Tradition & culture risk

Concerns about traditions and cultures, for instance, “What should I wear if I want to join the dancing group?” (Including different aspects of culture of Xinjiang, not only minority groups)

“Baihaba, dominated by the Tuva people, is a village where natural ecology and ancient traditional culture are blended together, and everything is still preserved in the original style inherent in hundreds of years.”

Covid risk

Concerns about pandemic policy, for instance, “Do we need to be quarantined when traveling to Xinjiang?”

“The trip to Xinjiang after the epidemic has put a pause on my busy work schedule because of the epidemic.”

Communication risk

Concerns about the quality of communication signals and communication barriers, for instance, “Is there any difficulty of communication here if we only speak mandarin?”

“She doesn’t speak Chinese well, so we don’t communicate.”

Queuing risk

Concerns about the waiting time and queuing time, for instance, “Are we supposed to queue?”

“The queue for the horseback ride into the ancient glacier was estimated to be two hours, and we had booked a 6 pm show of “Heavenly Horse Bathing River”.