China's snow tourism boom

China's Harbin and Xinjiang are considered two bright stars of winter tourism in China, reviving local tourism revenue after the pandemic.

After more than four years, winter tourism in China has returned and marked a strong recovery. Harbin City in Heilongjiang Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are the two top tourist destinations in China this winter. Tourism revenue in these two cities in the last days of 2023 and early 2024 increased significantly after more than four years of freezing due to the pandemic.

Popular winter activities at the two locations include skiing on the slopes and attending ice festivals.

Tourists attend an ice festival in Harbin, Heilongjiang, northeast China, on the occasion of New Year's Day 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE — Tourists attend an ice festival in Harbin, Heilongjiang, northeast China, on the occasion of New Year's Day 2024. Photo: *EPA-EFE*

Data from online travel platform Ctrip shows that the number of ski experience reservations in Heilongjiang and Xinjiang in late 2023 has doubled compared to 2023, while group ski tour bookings have increased by nearly 30%.

Also in the last month of 2023, Harbin skyrocketed to become China's top winter destination. The name Harbin was heavily featured on social media, and Chinese media also took the opportunity to continuously expand coverage of the city's tourism boom.

A tourism report for northern and northeastern China predicts that tourist arrivals this spring will increase by 25% to 30% compared to the end of the year. The number of tourists visiting Heilongjiang and Xinjiang could exceed 400 million, potentially generating revenue of up to 550 billion yuan ($77.2 billion).

In Harbin, the ice and snow festival, which opened on December 17, 2023 and will last until early January 2024, has attracted more than three million tourists to the city during the New Year holiday. The festival features sculptures carved from blocks of ice harvested from the Songhua River. The festival, which opened in 1963, is one of the world's largest and oldest ice and snow festivals.

Jin Honglan, chief financial officer of Yabuli Ski Resort in Harbin, said the number of visitors has doubled compared to previous years and tourist attractions around the city are now crowded.

"Next year and the year after, winter tourism in Harbin will be even more exciting. Everyone is excited about skiing here," she said.

The general manager of the Keketuohai International Ski Resort in Xinjiang told People's Daily that this winter season is "much more vibrant" than previous years. The resort has welcomed an average of 2,000 visitors a day since October.

The influx of tourists to snow and ice tourist destinations has led to a surge in demand for accommodation. Many tourists have complained on social media about the skyrocketing prices of many rural inns in Heilongjiang. Some places charge 3,000 yuan (US$440) per night for a bedroom with just a pair of mattresses on the floor.

In its five-year tourism development plan, China focuses on promoting winter snow tourism such as opening more ski resorts and exploiting local culture and traditions in cold regions.

Heilongjiang Province plans to turn its advantage of ice and snow resources into an international winter tourist destination. Local authorities in Xinjiang's Altay region have accelerated investment of about 550 million yuan ($77 million) in ski slopes, parks, opening new hotels and launching more direct flights from Guangzhou and Beijing.

Bich Phuong (According to SCMP )

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