Despite the already extreme temperature hitting an all-time low of minus 53 degrees Celsius, China’s northernmost province, Heilongjiang, saw a great surge in ice and snow activities during the Spring Festival holiday from January 21 to 27. The province has transformed itself into a winter wonderland dotted with elaborate ice sculptures, galloping snow mobiles, ski resorts, frozen waterfalls, and rime-glazed forests. 

Multiple factors have driven this winter tourism boom. On top of strong rebounds in all kinds of tourist activity after China adjusted its COVID-19 control measures, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics spurred the country’s winter sports industry to faster growth. 

At a local level, cities across Heilongjiang have created their own unique sets of winter attractions. The Ice-Snow World in Harbin, the capital of the province, is one of the world’s largest ice and snow theme parks. A dragon boat race featuring traditional dragon boats propped up on skates was held in January in the city of Daqing. In Mohe, the country’s northernmost city, bordered by Russia, tourists can visit the Arctic Village for a rare view of the aurora borealis. 

Creativity is the key to the continuous growth of Heilongjiang’s winter tourism sector, which integrates numerous trending leisure activities into its industry chain. Successful crossovers include ice fishing, winter camping, and paintball games on the snow. 

Seeking to play a bigger role on the international scene, Heilongjiang plans to construct a bevy of top-flight venues ideal for hosting global sporting events. The province is set to bid for the 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games and a number of other world junior championships.