China’s thriving winter economy emerges as a new growth point
Print Edition
Rushing through the entrance of Harbin Ice-Snow World with a throng of tourists, Zhong Xueying stepped into a realm of towering ice splendors, her face aglow with joy as she marveled at the surreal wintry wonders amid the crisp and biting wind.
“I arrived four days ago, eagerly awaiting the opening day, and now it’s time to race to the Super Ice Slide,” Zhong exclaimed before dashing off to her destination.
Located in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, the iconic Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world’s largest ice-and-snow theme park, welcomed over 2.7 million visitors last winter.
The 26th edition officially opened on Saturday, marking a new milestone in China’s thriving winter economy.
Like Zhong, many people traveled thousands of miles to Harbin to experience its renowned ice-and-snow wonderland. Lin Jung-yu, a teenager from Taiwan, said the 500-meter Super Ice Slide, celebrated across multiple social media platforms, was the main reason she came here.
“Last year, I watched many videos of people gliding down the slide and decided I have to try it for myself. Now that I’m finally here, that ride was undoubtedly the most thrilling minute I’ve ever experienced,” she added.
Despite increasing the number of lanes at the Super Ice Slide from 16 to 24, the queue for a ride can stretch hundreds of meters within an hour. This surge in enthusiasm is expected to intensify leading up to the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games in February, park staff say.
The Harbin Ice-Snow World has become one of China’s most iconic winter attractions. Last winter, it skyrocketed in popularity on social media, capturing the country’s growing passion for winter sports and tourism.
Last year, China recorded over 385 million winter leisure visits, marking a 38 percent increase from the previous year, with related revenue rising 50 percent. In Harbin alone, the last snow season saw more than 87 million visitors, up 300 percent year on year, generating 124.8 billion yuan (US$17.4 billion) in tourism revenue, a staggering 500 percent growth.
Snow formations
Meanwhile, government efforts have also sparked significant momentum in “Snow Town,” Mudanjiang, also in Heilongjiang. Donning special costumes and taking photos with the unique mushroom-shaped snow formations has become a must-do for tourists, creating new business opportunities.
“It feels like breaking into a fairy tale world of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ I have really enjoyed this wonderful atmosphere,” said Zhang Yuying, from southern Guangdong Province, seen taking photos in a princess dress.
“Snow Town” has welcomed more than 400,000 visitors in over a month this snow season. This year, the town has expanded its offerings, introducing a forest pathway and a riverside commercial street. It will also host snow marathons and outdoor disco-dancing competitions, providing even more exciting activities for winter lovers.
While skiing in the stunning Changbai Mountain area of northeast Jilin Province, Zhang Qian took a break to browse online promotions and ended up purchasing new ski equipment and coupons for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday.
“I bought the coupons for the hotel I stayed this time during the ‘Double 11’ shopping festival, which was a good deal,” said Zhang, who hails from eastern Shandong Province. “I’m planning to come here to ski again during the Spring Festival holiday. Skiing is so much fun!”
Skiing coupons emerged as popular items during the “Double 11” and “Double 12” festivals. With their lower prices and greater flexibility, they make it easier for people to try ice and snow tourism products, leading to more frequent visits.
The Changbai Mountain Wanda International Resort, a flagship project, saw a sales revenue of nearly 200 million yuan during the “Double 11” shopping festival, official data showed.
According to online shopping and tourism platforms, orders for ice and snow equipment surged, while searches and bookings for ice and snow tours saw rapid growth during the festival this year.
On Tmall, sales of categories such as down jackets, thermal wear and skiing equipment surged by over 200 percent year on year.
For this snow season, Jilin has issued coupons worth 30 million yuan for ice and snow enthusiasts across the country. These coupons are valid at most ski resorts as well as popular ice and snow attractions throughout the province.
China aims to boost its ice and snow economy as a new growth sector, targeting an economic scale of 1.2 trillion yuan by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030, according to guidelines issued by the State Council’s General Office last month.
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