Diverse tourism spots prosper from ice shows, chill hotpot

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By Peng Chao, Zhou Huiying (China Daily) 08:45, February 27, 2025

Tourists line up to buy steamed buns at a morning market in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on Jan 28. (Liu Yang/Xinhua)

Zhang Jiajia felt like she was flying as she glided down a 521-meter-long ice slide, her one-minute experience making the wait in line for over an hour worthwhile.

"It's incredibly thrilling, and my heart soared with me," said Zhang, a tourist from East China's Zhejiang province, after trying the Super Ice Slide at Harbin Ice and Snow World in Heilongjiang province.

Harbin, one of China's coldest cities, emerged as the nation's most popular tourist spot early last year, followed by Tianshui in Gansu province, Altay in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and Shanxi province.

The breathtaking landscape, exhilarating ice and snow sports programs, and an inviting atmosphere — which included offering free rides, rolling out carpets on icy streets and free frozen pears for visitors — made the "ice city" a social media sensation and a top winter tourism destination.

Official statistics show that during the last snow season, Harbin received over 87 million visits, a 300 percent increase year-on-year, and generated 124.8 billion yuan ($17 billion) in tourism revenue, up 500 percent.

Visitors enjoy the thrill of the Super Ice Slide at Harbin Ice and Snow World on Jan 5. (Liu Yang/Xinhua)

Ice-and-snow fever

This winter, Harbin has been experiencing another tourism boom with upgraded tourism facilities, improved visitor services, and an international sports event.

During the Spring Festival holiday, which ran from Jan 28 through Feb 4, the city welcomed 12.15 million visitors, a 20.4 percent year-on-year increase. It also saw a 144.7 percent surge in inbound tourists during this period, according to statistics from Harbin's culture, radio, television, and tourism bureau.

The 9th Asian Winter Games, held from Feb 7 through 14, attracted 1,200 athletes from 34 Asian countries and regions, putting the city under the spotlight. Meituan Travel said searches for "Asian Winter Games" surged 862 percent on its platform in the first week of February compared with the previous month.

Harbin Ice and Snow World, the city's iconic attraction, had over 3 million visits, a record for the event, during its 52 days of operation.

Built with 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow, the park was expanded to 1 million square meters this winter, the largest since it started in 1999.

Luo Xin, deputy general manager of Harbin Ice-Snow World Co, said the venue integrated elements of the Asian Winter Games, creating a more dazzling winter wonderland.

The number of lanes at this year's Super Ice Slide, the longest the park has ever had, was increased from 16 to 24. A 300-meter-long windproof structure was erected in the line-up area, allowing visitors to enjoy the scenery while being protected from the cold.

"A series of activities, including an ice harvest festival, a new fantasy show, outdoor performances, and ice carving competitions, have enriched the visitor experience," Luo said.

Wang Hongxin, director of Harbin's culture, radio, television, and tourism bureau, said the city has been striving to provide a thorough and multilevel experience for domestic as well as foreign tourists.

There are over 1,300 bank branches in the city that can handle foreign currency exchanges and more than 5,800 shops that can accept foreign card payments, he said.

On Harbin's Central Street, icy stairs were covered with nonslip carpets, while the railings were wrapped in frost-resistant material. Tourists had easy access to services including free Wi-Fi, temporary rest areas, ginger tea, hot water, and luggage storage.

The city also launched eight special tourist bus routes that connected nearly all major attractions and ice-and-snow tourism facilities. In addition, the Harbin Metro extended its operating hours to better serve visitors.

People take photos of the Buddhist statues at the Maiji Mountain Grottoes in Tianshui, Gansu province, on Nov 2. (Chen Bin/Xinhua)

Black Myth miracle

Unlike Harbin, which draws tourists through innovative strategies and detailed services, Shanxi's tourism skyrocketed in popularity overnight almost solely due to a video game — Black Myth: Wukong.

Sun Jing, who drove with her parents during the National Day holiday in October to visit the Xiaoxitian scenic area in Xixian county, said it was the popularity of the video game that prompted the trip.

"Although I'm aware of Shanxi's rich cultural heritage and ancient architecture, I still couldn't help but be amazed when I saw them in person," she said.