China's 'ice city' gears up for winter tourism boom with expanded attractions

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Major ice-and-snow attractions in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, are bracing for a winter tourism boom as the new snow season begins. 

Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world's largest ice-and-snow theme park, is gearing up for the coming snow season at an unprecedented scale, unveiling new attractions and upgraded services as construction of the winter wonderland advances at full pace, according to the operator. 

The iconic Asian landmark in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, will use more than 400,000 cubic meters of ice and snow this winter to create its vast sculptures and amusement structures. 

The park's construction will span 1.2 million square meters this year, an increase of 200,000 square meters compared with the last season. Building work has officially begun last Monday. 

The theme park welcomed more than 3.56 million visitors during its 68-day run last season, which lasted from Dec. 21 to Feb. 26. 

The park will roll out a slate of new attractions this year to draw visitors, such as hot spring camps, cross-country skiing tracks, themed parades and a variety of ice-and-snow activities. 

In addition, the Sun Island Scenic Area in Harbin closed its doors at 17:00 on Sunday to fully prepare for the 38th Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo.

The staff have uniquely employed "digital rehearsal" technology during the preparations, utilizing 3D modeling and fluid dynamics simulations to conduct wind load test on large-scale snow sculptures, ensuring their structural stability through advanced technology.

The expo will open in January, showcasing a series of creative snow sculptures that will provide visitors with an immersive experience of ice and snow art.

Dubbed China's "ice city," Harbin has leveraged its long winter to ignite the winter tourism fever in the past few years, with a record-breaking 90.35 million visitors last winter. The total tourist spending in the city amounted to 137.22 billion yuan (about 19.36 billion U.S. dollars), up 16.6 percent year on year. 

 

China's 'ice city' gears up for winter tourism boom with expanded attractions

Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, on Thursday extended Spring Festival greetings to religious leaders and believers across China.

Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with leaders of national religious groups ahead of the Chinese New Year. Heads of the Buddhist Association of China, the Taoist Association of China, the China Islamic Association, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China were present at the meeting and delivered speeches.

Wang spoke highly of the work of the religious groups in 2025, urging systematic efforts to ensure that religions in China are Chinese in orientation and ensure law-based management of religious affairs, with the aim of contributing to the realization of Chinese modernization.

He called on the national religious groups to guide religious figures and believers to develop an accurate understanding of country, history, ethnicity, culture and religion, unite more closely around the CPC and the Chinese government, and help religions in China integrate with fine traditional Chinese culture and adapt to the socialist society.

Wang also stressed the importance of strengthening the law-based governance of religious affairs.

Senior official extends Spring Festival greetings to religious groups