HARBIN, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Trucks laden with massive ice blocks are making their way through freshly fallen snow, heading for the Ice-Snow World site in Harbin, the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
These massive blocks, preserved from last winter, will be transformed into spectacular sculptures for the 26th edition of Harbin Ice-Snow World, set to open in mid-December.
The event marks the return of one of China's most iconic winter theme parks, expected to draw millions of visitors and make a significant impact on the region's winter tourism industry.
In order to ensure the beauty of the ice-construction landscape, the ice blocks will go through a strict inspection on thickness, length and cleanliness before being used, said Yang Liu with Harbin Ice and Snow World Park Co., Ltd. More than 10,000 ice construction workers and nearly 1,000 pieces of mechanical operation equipment will enter the park for the construction process.
This year's park will feature a large-scale upgrade and is expected to break the Guinness World Record again, reaffirming its position as the largest ice-and-snow theme park in the world.
According to sources with Harbin Ice-Snow World, the park will expand from 810,000 square meters to a massive 1 million square meters. The amount of ice and snow used will also increase to 300,000 cubic meters, further enhancing its scale and grandeur.
The number of popular ice slides will increase from 16 to 24, offering even more excitement for visitors, said Sun Zemin, deputy director of the sales and marketing department of Harbin Ice-Snow World Park Co., Ltd. He added that the ice sculptures and snow constructions this year will feature elements from the upcoming 2025 Asian Winter Games, adding a unique touch to the experience.
Harbin, known as the "Ice City," has garnered attention on social media due to its rich ice-and-snow resources, as well as its vibrant winter tourism scene. Last year, Harbin Ice-Snow World attracted over 2.7 million visitors with its stunning ice sculptures and winter-themed attractions.
The city has long been investing in winter resources and hosting events such as winter sports games and ice lantern fairs, aiming to transform these resources into a thriving economy. It serves as a vital economic hub in northeast China and as a barometer of the nation's snow-and-ice industry.
In addition to Harbin, the "Snow Town" in the city of Mudanjiang, located about 280 kilometers from Harbin, has also become a must-see destination for winter tourism.
Known for its long winter season and unique mushroom-shaped snow formations, Snow Town attracted over 500,000 visitors last winter. This year, the town has expanded its offerings, adding a forest pathway and riverside commercial street, and will host snow marathons and outdoor disco-dancing competitions, providing even more activities for winter lovers.
Boasting more than 50 ski trails of varying difficulty levels, the Yabuli Ski Resort is one of China's premier ski resorts. In preparation for the upcoming Asian Winter Games, the resort has undergone significant upgrades to its ski slopes, dining facilities and infrastructure.
Yang Xiaodong, head of the culture and tourism department at the Yabuli administrative committee, said that the resort is collaborating with other tourist destinations to create several "golden" ice-and-snow tourism routes. This winter, the resort will also introduce large snow-based entertainment activities, such as alpine snow circles, snow carnivals and night skiing, to attract even more tourists.
According to Qi Bin, deputy director of the Heilongjiang provincial department of culture and tourism, the peak winter tourism season this year will coincide with the 9th Asian Winter Games, which is expected to further drive interest in winter sports and ice-and-snow tourism.
Heilongjiang is committed to supporting the ice-and-snow economy and generating growth opportunities for the local economy, Qi added.
The surge in winter tourism in Harbin is part of a broader trend across China's booming ice-and-snow industry. Experts attribute the rising popularity of winter sports to the success of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, which significantly boosted interest in winter sports and tourism.
China has unveiled an ambitious plan to grow its ice-and-snow economy, targeting winter sports, tourism and equipment manufacturing as key drivers of economic growth, with a projected value of 1.5 trillion yuan (about 208.7 billion U.S. dollars) by 2030. ■
