A surge in winter tourism during the three-day New Year's Day holiday has sent travel demand soaring in China, with ice-snow-themed destinations drawing record crowds.
Data from major travel platforms show a sharp increase in bookings for railways and flights to northern China, driven largely by the popularity of winter attractions.
In northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, ticket sales for the famed Snow Town scenic area in Mudanjiang City and for the Yabuli Ski Resort in the provincial capital Harbin surged 2.7-fold and twofold, respectively, year on year.
Searches related to "Harbin" spiked more than five fold on a yearly basis, according to travel data.
Harbin's iconic Ice and Snow World, a winter wonderland, emerged as the holiday's top attraction.
"The hottest destination on the New Year's Eve was undoubtedly Harbin's Ice and Snow World. According to data from Qunar Travel, the Ice and Snow World topped the national charts as soon as tickets went on sale, with its popularity surging more than four fold compared with the same period last year," said Shi Ke, a researcher at the Qunar Big Data Research Institute.
The travel rush has put heavy strain on the country's transportation system. Trains from Beijing to major northeastern cities, including Harbin, Shenyang, and Changchun, have only limited seats remaining for the holiday period, and return tickets on Jan. 3, the last day of the holiday, from these cities back to Beijing are nearly sold out.
In response, railway authorities are adding multiple dedicated ice-snow tourism trains, including both high-speed and conventional services.
Air travel is also experiencing robust growth. According to Umetrip, a leading flight data provider, destinations offering high-quality ski resorts and unique winter experiences are seeing the strongest demand.
The Altay Prefecture, a prestigious ski destination in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Ulanqab City in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region ranked among the fastest-growing destinations in terms of New Year's Day holiday flight bookings.
"Notably, during the 2026 New Year's Day holiday, travelers from southern China emerged as a key driver behind the growth of ice and snow tourism. Southern cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen have become among the primary sources of visitors to Altay," said Zhao Nan, general manager of the industry development department at Umetrip.
Winter tourism booms during New Year's Day holiday
Winter tourism booms during New Year's Day holiday
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi should apologize for and retreat her errouneous aggressive remarks on China's Taiwan region, as the rhetoric in her words could destabilize domestic society and harm Japan's relations with neighbors, Japanese scholars said recently.
Shinako Oyakawa, a lecturer at the Okinawa University who has long focused on security and peace issues, said that Takaichi' remarks are inflammatory, have seriously violated the spirit of Japan's pacifist constitution and caused harmful consequences for the public.
She said that Takaichi needs to issue a clear apology and formally retract her remarks.
Takaichi on November 7, 2025, made blatant and provocative remarks on Taiwan at the Diet, claiming that a Taiwan contingency could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and implying that Japan might invoke the so-called "right to collective self-defense" for armed intervention across the Taiwan Strait.
"She made such remarks in parliament, the kind of rhetoric commonly used by the 'internet right wing,' sounding exactly like what people in that circle would say. Such remarks give the impression that they are ready to go to the battlefield, even willing to start a war. This kind of rhetoric is extremely dangerous," said Oyakawa.
Oyakawa said that the remarks have caused significant losses and both ruling and opposition parties have oversimplified the issue.
"The remarks have already caused significant damage in various aspects. The relevant figures are still being tallied, and the extent of the damage is truly unimaginable. Both the ruling and opposition parties have oversimplified the issue; or, their attitudes have been ambiguous, out of fear of facing it. However, this is not an issue that can be easily glossed over. She must issue a clear apology and formally retract her remarks," Oyakawa said.
Japan's history education has long avoided or distorted accounts of its wars of aggression launched by Japan against Asian neighbors, leaving few with a true understanding of historical facts. This, Oyakawa said, has further accelerated the overall rightward shift in Japanese society.
"As the number of war survivors dwindles, the practice of distorting history in Japan is becoming increasingly rampant. Almost no one knows about the suffering endured by our Asian neighbors. What the Japanese exactly did abroad and what war responsibility Japan bears are completely absent from textbooks," said Oyakawa.
As an Okinawan, Oyakawa said she strongly feels the government's military buildup has brought fear and anxiety to residents.
"Fighter jets and helicopters fly overhead everyday, and the roar of military aircraft becomes routine. On average, Okinawa experiences several plane crashes or incidents of falling parts each year. The militarization of Okinawa is escalating, bringing fear and unease to residents. I think that this situation must be stopped from further worsening," said Oyakawa.
Koichi Nakano, professor of political science at Sophia University, also criticized Takaichi's leadership, saying her team showed little consideration for relations with China and her remarks damage Japan-China relations and undermine Japan's own economic and social stability.
Nakano also said that Japanese society faces a serious problem, as awareness about and reflection on Japan's wartime aggression continue to fade. He stressed that only by facing up to history and engaging with neighboring countries on equal terms can Japan lay the groundwork for rebuilding ties with China.
"Japan's biggest problem is that the recognition of history with China is gradually fading. The sentiment of reflecting on the aggression history and apologizing for it has not been fully passed down between generations. More and more people are unaware of the historical facts, believing that 'that's all in the past' and that no further apology or remorse is necessary. This is an extremely serious issue. (The Japanese government should) build friendly relations on an equal footing, conduct objective and accurate mutual evaluations of the past and present, and rebuild bilateral relations," said Nakano.
Japanese prime minister should apologize, retract erroneous remarks on Taiwan: Japanese scholars
