China's premier ice-and-snow destinations poised for winter tourism frenzy

HARBIN -- Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world's largest ice-and-snow theme park, is gearing up for the coming snow season at an unprecedented scale, unveiling new attractions and upgraded services as construction of the winter wonderland advances at full pace, according to the operator.

The iconic Asian landmark in Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, will use more than 400,000 cubic meters of ice and snow this winter to create its vast sculptures and amusement structures.

The park's construction will span 1.2 million square meters this year, an increase of 200,000 square meters compared with last season. Building work has officially begun on Monday.

The theme park welcomed more than 3.56 million visitors during its 68-day run last season, which lasted from Dec 21 to Feb 26.

The park will roll out a slate of new attractions this year to draw visitors, such as hot spring camps, cross-country skiing tracks, themed parades and a variety of ice-and-snow activities. It will also enhance smart tourism services and accessibility facilities to better welcome global travelers, according to Wang Hongxin, director of Harbin's culture, radio, television and tourism department.

Wang said that the city will roll out a dazzling lineup of ice-and-snow attractions this December, featuring the 1.5-million-square-meter Sun Island Snow Expo and a lively carnival on the frozen Songhua River.

At the Songhua River Ice-and-Snow Carnival, visitors can relish stunning ice-and-snow sculptures, enjoy the thrill of snow drifting, and experience some 60 ice sports activities.

Wang said city authorities have enhanced public facilities and services to boost ice-and-snow tourism, including the construction of barrier-free access, upgrades to 26 tourist information centers, and improvements to over 70 restrooms across scenic spots.

Other measures to enhance visitor hospitality include the provision of warming stations, as well as ginger tea and hot water. Wang noted that ten new bus lines have been launched to shuttle tourists along popular routes, while 37 additional parking lots have been built, adding over 3,000 spaces near key attractions.

Dubbed China's "ice city," Harbin has leveraged its long winter to ignite the winter tourism fever in the past few years, with a record-breaking 90.35 million visitors last winter. The total tourist spending in the city amounted to 137.22 billion yuan (about $19.36 billion), up 16.6 percent year on year.

China plans to boost its ice-and-snow economy as a new growth sector. The country targets an economic scale of 1.2 trillion yuan by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030, according to guidelines issued by the General Office of the State Council in November 2024.

As the country vigorously develops the ice-and-snow economy to boost consumption and local industries, Harbin and a number of other cities are set to unleash fresh economic momentum through their unique ice-and-snow resources.

Located 300 kilometers north of Harbin in Mudanjiang city, Heilongjiang, the China Snow Town scenic area officially opened on Monday, offering visitors more than 30 cultural and tourism activities, ranging from traditional celebrations and modern performances to spectacular technological light shows.

Known for its heavy snowfall and fairy-tale landscapes, China Snow Town welcomed 1.45 million visitors last winter, setting a new record.

In Northeast China's Jilin province, the local government unveiled plans to issue a 100-million-yuan package of vouchers for winter tourists and local residents, aiming to boost consumption.

The province is also offering discounted shuttle services to its popular ski resorts, aiming to attract the growing number of winter sports enthusiasts following the 2025 Asian Winter Games, said Jin Zhenlin, deputy director of the Jilin provincial department of culture and tourism.

Boasting many high-quality ice rinks and ski resorts, Jilin has held the top spot for a decade in attracting the largest number of skiers among China's provincial-level regions.

Altay prefecture, a popular ski destination in China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, is tapping into its rich ice-and-snow heritage and favorable skiing conditions to unleash new potential. Local primary and secondary school students will enjoy a nine-day "snow break" from Dec 1 to 5 and the adjacent weekends, designed to help them "connect with nature, inherit culture and strengthen their physical health."

The Altay cultural and tourism authorities are partnering with various ski resorts, cultural venues and hotels to provide discounts on skiing, food, accommodations, transportation and cultural activities during the break.

During the 2023-2024 snow season, Altay recorded approximately 4.89 million tourist visits, generating 5.1 billion yuan in revenue. The region accounted for roughly half of Xinjiang's overall growth in both visitor numbers and tourism income.