CGTN on Monday published an article discussing how Harbin, the capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, is leveraging policy support and service innovation to to boost its ice and snow tourism. It highlights the city’s growing ice and snow economy, backed by solid data, and features initiatives like the 100-day winter tourism program that enhance the visitor experience. The article also covers how Harbin is improving the experience for international visitors through measures like cross-border travel apps, easier payment options and multilingual services. From the development of ice and snow tourism to specific policy measures and service innovations, the article illustrates how Harbin’s ice and snow tourism industry is strengthening its competitiveness and driving sustainable growth.

As the ice and snow tourism season is in full swing, Harbin, the capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, continues to attract a growing number of visitors. With its diverse winter activities, expanding infrastructure and local hospitality, the city remains a key destination in China’s booming ice and snow economy.

During the previous winter season, Harbin welcomed over 87 million tourists, marking a 300 percent year-on-year increase, while tourism revenue soared 500 percent to 124.8 billion yuan ($17.3 billion).

This year, demand for winter leisure travel remains strong, with Spring Festival hotel bookings up 76 percent from last year, according to Chinese travel platform Qunar. The upcoming 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games and new winter-themed travel options have further fueled the city’s appeal.

New travel experiences drive demand

To meet the growing demand, new winter-themed train routes have been introduced, enhancing accessibility and offering unique experiences. The K974 ice and snow-themed train, launched by China Railway Nanchang Group, now connects Xiamen and Harbin, making winter tourism more convenient for travelers from the south. Another addition, the K5197 ice and snow travel photography train, features specially designed cabins that offer studio photoshoot services – a concept popular particularly among elderly travelers.

“I am 72 years old this year. I came here to experience this tourist train and the travel photography service, and it has been a wonderful surprise,” Jin Yue, a traveler from Liaoning Province, told China Media Group (CMG).

Meanwhile, popular attractions like the Harbin Ice-Snow World, continue to draw large crowds. The park, spanning a million square meters, has welcomed over 2 million visitors since December after its annual opening. This year, it incorporates Asian Winter Games elements, featuring massive ice sculptures, interactive winter activities and themed performances that bring the magic of ice and snow to life.

While the ice and snow activities are a major attraction, visitors are also interested in local culture. According to data from Meituan, one of China’s online services platforms, searches for “Kang bed-stove” experiences – a traditional heated brick bed commonly found in northern China – have risen 154 percent since November 2024. Regional dishes like “iron pot stew” are also gaining popularity among tourists. Many visitors explore local markets to experience daily life in Harbin and sample regional specialties.

“Last year, Harbin’s ice and snow tourism truly went viral, sparking a boom in tourism across the northeast region and revitalizing the ice and snow economy,” Wang Hongxin, head of Harbin’s cultural, radio, television and tourism department, told CMG.

In the 2024 calendar year, Harbin welcomed 179 million tourists, bringing in 231.42 billion yuan in tourism revenue, both marking a year-on-year increase of over 30 percent, according to the local tourism bureau.

The city’s tourism boom is part of a broader trend across China’s winter tourism industry. According to the China Ice and Snow Tourism Development Report (2025), 430 million travelers participated in ice and snow tourism during the 2023-2024 winter season, generating 524.7 billion yuan in revenue.

The 2024-2025 season is expected to see even greater growth, with projections of over 520 million winter travelers and a revenue exceeding 630 billion yuan, the report shows.

Enhanced infrastructure and tourist services

Since November 2024, Heilongjiang Province has been implementing a 100-day winter tourism initiative with 60 targeted measures to boost ice and snow tourism. These measures include new themed travel routes, cultural activities and local specialties, and improved transportation networks. Additionally, stricter market oversight aims to elevate industry standards.

For Harbin, it launched a comprehensive tourism platform, created a special tourism map for the Asian Winter Games, and established multiple tourist centers to enhance visitors’ experiences. “To strengthen market oversight, Harbin has also introduced an advance compensation mechanism and tightened regulations on travel agencies, tour guides, dining and accommodations,” Wang Hongxin told CMG.

The city’s tourism bureau has streamlined feedback processing and has boosted productivity by employing a young digital team. The team manages tens of thousands of comments daily across eight platforms, greatly improving government service efficiency over the past year. They identify key issues and forward urgent matters to the relevant departments.

For instance, when a tourist asked whether Harbin’s red sausages were raw or cooked, the market management responded immediately by posting clear usage instructions on the shelf.

To enhance the visitor experience, a cross-border travel app and expanded multilingual services have been introduced to better assist international travelers. Payment options have also been improved, with 1,391 POS machines now accepting foreign bank cards and 70 currency exchange points available at major hotels and attractions.

“One shift in Harbin’s tourism trend is from focusing on individual attractions to creating a more integrated tourism experience, with improved transportation links between sites,” Yuan Lin, a senior official in Heilongjiang’s cultural and tourism sector, told CMG. “Another is the move from single-department management to a citywide approach, with various sectors collaborating.”

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