China's airlines have recently introduced many new low-cost air routes to its northern region, allowing tourists to explore popular winter destinations and discover the unique charm of ice and snow. As ice and snow tourism heats up across China, the number of passengers heading to popular winter destinations such as Harbin, the Changbai Mountain in the northeast and Altay and Kanas in the northwest region of the country has surged significantly.
"We are heading to Altay for skiing. The airfare to Altay is about 500 yuan (about 68.51 U.S. dollars). If we choose a connecting flight, the airfare could drop to under 400 yuan," said Zheng Jimin, a tourist from Beijing planning a family ski trip to Altay.
"Currently there are discount flight tickets to Harbin and Changchun, with prices reduced by 60 percent or more. Since December, bookings for ice and snow tour routes from major cities across the country to Harbin, Changchun, Jilin, Baishan and other cities have increased by 20 percent year on year, while cities like Mohe, Qiqihar, Yichun and Jiamusi have seen booking growth surpassing 40 percent," said Liu Ting, a research fellow from the big data research institute of Qunar, a leading online travel agency in China. Many airlines are introducing ice and snow-themed routes and expanding capacity to popular winter destinations. "China Southern Airlines operates over 600 flights weekly to and from Harbin. Starting this Tuesday, we launched a direct flight route from Shanghai to Changbai Mountain, with 14 flights per week," said Cheng Minmin, a flight planning official from China Southern Airlines. Changbai Mountain, located in northeast China's Jilin Province, is well-known for its well-preserved ecosystem and breathtaking mountainous landscape.
Low-cost air tickets enable more tourists to explore popular winter destinations in China
South China's Guangdong Province is accelerating its transformation into an international medical tourism hub, positioning itself as a destination for patients worldwide seeking affordable, high-quality care.
The push follows a joint initiative announced in late March by nine Chinese government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, aimed at boosting spending by foreign tourists and enhancing exports of tourism services as part of broader efforts to expand the country's service sector.
Every day, some of the most complex surgeries are performed here. Li Zilun, deputy director of the division of vascular surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, is among the doctors capable of carrying out these intricate procedures.
He recently completed surgery on a patient with an aortic aneurysm, a condition often described as a "time bomb" in the body’s main artery, increasingly common in aging societies around the globe. Li also specializes in highly difficult and pioneering procedures, including repairing leaks caused by failed grafts.
"This was a very challenging case. And then, we implanted the covered stent to eliminate the endoleak. Actually, the outcome was pretty good. The patient will be discharged today," said Li Zilun.
The ability to handle such complex cases -- combining international techniques with domestically produced devices -- is drawing patients from around the world to seek treatment. In addition, high safety standards and low costs are also major draws.
"Our government is encouraging innovation. So, lots of physicians -- including our vascular surgeons -- we are actively involved in the innovation that helps to increase the effectiveness and safety, and also bring down the cost," said Li.
This hospital is one of the first in Guangdong to be designated by the provincial health commission as a pilot site for building an international medical service hub.
The growing number of patients has pushed the hospital to explore new ways to transform every step -- from treatment to payment and everything in between -- into a seamless experience, reducing waiting times and delivering better care for patients.
"I think it's fast. When the patient come here for just about, I think, one week, you can solve the problem," said Xiao Haipeng, president of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.
The hospital is also deepening its international cooperation with top-tier medical institutions, including those at Harvard University.
"Not just for China, for the whole globe, we are facing health care challenges -- emerging infectious disease and chronic, lung infectious diseases, and also the aging population, also the shortage of healthcare workforce," said Xiao.
In response to these challenges, China is promoting its own solutions, including aggressive innovation in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven workflows, while stepping up research and development investment and global engagement along the way.
"In recent years, the innovation in Western medicine is dramatically growing. An example of my hospital -- in the past few years, we have 140 innovations and seven of them are international leading innovations," said Xiao.
As global demand for medical tourism grows, China is positioning itself as a new destination. Official data shows that the number of foreign patients in Guangdong increased by 20 percent last year. Among them, the growth in inpatient admissions was even faster, rising by 76 percent.
Guangdong fast-tracks pilot for int'l medical service hub
