In the 2024-2025 ice and snow season, the number of ice and snow leisure tourists in my country is expected to reach 520 million, and tourism revenue is expected to exceed 630 billion yuan!
On January 5, at the 2025 Ice and Snow Tourism Development Conference held in Harbin, the "China Ice and Snow Tourism Development Report (2025)" predicted that this set of data means that experiencing ice and snow has become a lifestyle for more and more people.
At around 17:00 that day, the 41st China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival kicked off! In the Harbin Ice and Snow World Park, fireworks soared into the sky, music beat, and Chinese and foreign tourists gathered together, applause, songs, and cheers intertwined——
This is the "fireworks show" (drone photo) over the 41st China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival taken on January 5. Photo by Zhang Tao
"I'm so lucky! Today I met the Ice and Snow Festival." Chen Biyun, a "post-00s" tourist from Jiangxi, and her friends came to Harbin as soon as the winter vacation came, and they were happy for the surprises.
The China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, founded on January 5, 1985, is unique. This is my country's first international festival with the theme of ice and snow. It is also known as the world's four major winter festivals together with the Sapporo Ice and Snow Festival in Japan, the Quebec Winter Carnival in Canada, and the Oslo Ski Festival in Norway.
"It's so exciting to see these ice sculptures with your own eyes. They are exquisite and full of stories. They are simply a miracle of mankind!" Robin Lapthorne, an Australian tourist who came from more than 7,000 kilometers away, clicked the shutter repeatedly. . "I will never forget the splendor and beauty here. I applaud China's ice and snow art."
Data testifies to "Erbin"'s "ice and snow fever": Since the opening of Harbin Ice and Snow World half a month ago, the city's cumulative number of tourists has increased by 21.3% year-on-year; in 2024, the city will receive a total of 179 million tourists, with a total tourism expenditure of 231.42 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase Both exceeded 30%...
Why has an ice and snow festival that has lasted for 40 years remained so popular and ranked first among ice and snow tourism destinations for many years? From this, we may be able to see the motivation behind China’s ice and snow tourism market entering a new stage.
"Ingenuity"——
In this city of ice and snow, old-fashioned skills such as ice lanterns, ice sculptures, ice sledges, ice skating, and furboard skiing are revitalized, and new business formats such as "Snowpiercer", ice and snow concerts, and "Ten Thousand People on the Snow Disco" are revitalized. The scene injects new vitality into the ice and snow culture. Popular attractions such as Harbin Ice and Snow World, Central Street, Sun Island Snow Expo, Polar Park, Siberian Tiger Forest Park, and Volga Manor have been "planted" by tourists.
At the Harbin Ice and Snow World Indoor Venue, the 81-meter-long "Nine Cold Sky Scrolls" combines AIGC (artificial intelligence generated content) technology to present visitors with interactive experiences such as walking in the snow to find plum blossoms, knocking on bamboos and listening to the snow; in the Metaverse product " "Ice Dragon Searching for Pearls·Full Sense VR", tourists can "check in" the ice and snow wonderland by wearing VR glasses; the panoramic fantasy stage show "The King's Chariot" interprets the legendary story of the Jurchen tribe thousands of years ago...
"With unlimited ice and snow, innovation continues." Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, said that tradition and modernity, classics and fashion complement each other in the ice and snow, promoting "cold resources" to become a "hot economy" and injecting "ice" into economic and social prosperity and development. power".
"Heartwarming"——
At the "2025 Ice and Snow Tourism Development Conference" held in Harbin on the 5th, desserts in the shapes of curling stones, gloves, snowmen, Asian Winter Games mascots and other shapes were particularly eye-catching. "This winter, we draw inspiration from Harbin's regional culture and develop more new products." said Liu Tingting, a staff member of the operations department of Heilongjiang Packaging Happiness Investment (Group) Co., Ltd.
Central Street at night is crowded with tourists. Braving the low temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius, the "post-95s" Internet celebrity policewoman Sui Xin was on duty. Directing traffic, giving directions to tourists, and protecting tourists' safety... "I feel that my job is very meaningful to make more people fall in love with Harbin." She said.
"Although the weather is very cold, my heart feels warm. I have always been treated tenderly by the beloved guests of Erbin, Shige." Pan Yulu, a tourist from Shanghai, expressed the sentiments of many tourists.
"confidence"--
The "China Ice and Snow Tourism Development Report (2025)" released on January 5 shows that the country will receive 430 million ice and snow tourists during the 2023-2024 ice and snow season, and achieve ice and snow tourism revenue of 524.7 billion yuan. The popularity of the ice and snow tourism market continues to rise, and the comprehensive driving ability of ice and snow tourism consumption is outstanding.
"We receive more than 300 tables a day, and the passenger flow is about 1,500 people, which continues last year's hot trend." Iron pot stew is one of the must-try delicacies for foreign tourists, said Yao Lilong, co-founder of an iron pot stew chain brand in Harbin, near Central Street The store is packed almost every day during the ice and snow season. The store has launched "winter limited dishes" such as frozen pear platters, which are popular among southern tourists.
"Ice and snow share the same dream, Asia shares the same heart"... At the opening ceremony, a drone illuminated the beautiful words in the night sky. In 33 days, the world’s largest ice and snow theme park will welcome the opening of the 9th Asian Winter Games.
"Erbin" is heading towards a world-class ice and snow tourism resort and an ice and snow economic highland, where ice and snow warm the world!
Read the original text：https://economy.gmw.cn/2025-01/06/content_37779581.htm