I've never been there, but here's my opinions on Eastern Turkestan ("Xinjiang"), anyways. (Which I almost NEVER get to share!) :)
First, a little background that you didn't mention (but I'm sure you are aware of): Xinjiang, the Chinese name for Eastern Turkestan, was annexed by the Qing Dynasty back in 17-something AD. The natives of this region were predominantly speakers of Turkic languages (with Mongol, Manchu, Han, and Tibetan minorities... I'm probably forgetting some. Ah, well.), and are largely Muslim. Most of the sedentary Turkic peoples in Xinjiang now go by the ethnonym "Uighur/Uyghur," borrowed from the old Uighurs who settled in the area... uh, way back when. (Gimme a break, my books are all at home, so I'm doing this from memory.)
Fast forward to the 20th century. The Uighurs, who had been revolting against the Chinese invasion since... the invasion, broke away from China twice, once in the 30s, once in the 40s. And were re-annexed twice. Once the Commies were in firm control, things got even worse for the Uighurs (and pretty much every other non-Han ethnic group in the PRC) as they were marginalised in every possible way by the fast-growing foreign Han minority... Blah, blah, blah.
Personally, I wouldn't go to Chinese-occupied Eastern Turkestan today. (Or to Tibet. Or to Inner Mongolia.) I might consider going there to fight against the Chinese occupation, or to visit if Eastern Turkestan gained its independence. Otherwise, spending my money there would make me no better than the parasitic PRC government, or the Han migrants they are shipping there to destroy the native cultures and make "Xinjiang" just another carbon-copy Chinese province. (Han Chinese made up about 10% of the population in "Xinjiang" in 1950. Now they make up something like 40%)
Much like apartheid-era blacks in South Africa, Uighurs (and other native peoples) in "Xinjiang" are poor, underemployed, and undereducated. (Hey, but at least they're leading the Han in early mortality!) Practicing their religion gets them labelled as 'seperatists.' Getting 'uppity' gets you thrown in prison, and possibly tortured and killed. (See: Rebiya Kadeer)They see almost none of the wealth generated by the vast mineral, gas, and oil deposits of their homeland (the environment of which is being destroyed by the careless exploitation of these resources.).
So, I guess it's up to you. If you want to take dirty PRC money, printed with Uighur blood, go right ahead. ;)
On the other hand, the trad. music there is wonderful. (If your handlers will let you see anything other than the typical 'folkloric' ensembles singing songs about Chairman Mao, that is.) If you haven't heard it before, say the word and I can hook you up with some. :)
So, bedtime. I bet this entry will look even worse when I'm not half-asleep...