The ‘ice city’ in China attracts an unprecedented influx of tourists during the New Year holiday period

During the New Year holiday, the renowned ‘ice city’ of Harbin in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province witnessed an unprecedented surge in visitors, largely enticed by the magnificent and intricately crafted ice sculptures showcased at its annual Ice and Snow Festival.

Constructed from ice blocks extracted from the frozen Songhua River nearby, these towering ice formations are brilliantly illuminated by an array of lights, creating a stunning visual spectacle at night.

According to state media agency Xinhua, this year’s festival attracted a staggering 3.05 million visitors to Harbin during the three-day New Year holiday, concluding on Monday. The event generated tourism revenue amounting to 5.91 billion yuan ($826 million), surpassing the pre-Covid visitation figures recorded in 2019.

Reported by the local newspaper Harbin Daily, there was a notable surge in the city’s accommodation and catering sectors, with growth exceeding double the levels observed in 2019. Harbin’s tourism department attributed this increase in part to the city’s growing presence and popularity across various social media platforms, as per Xinhua’s report.