Hey there! Have you ever dreamed of a world made entirely of ice and snow? ❄️✨ Well, in Harbin, a city in northeast China, this dream comes true every winter!
Welcome to Harbin Ice-Snow World
During the Spring Festival holiday in 2025, from January 28 to February 4, Harbin was buzzing with excitement. Over 610,000 people visited the amazing Harbin Ice-Snow World, a park filled with gigantic ice sculptures that light up in brilliant colors! On February 1st alone, more than 100,000 visitors explored this icy wonderland, setting a new record! 🎆
Getting Ready for the Asian Winter Games
One reason for all this excitement is that Harbin is hosting the 9th Asian Winter Games from February 7 to 14, 2025. It’s like the Olympics but for countries in Asia! Athletes will compete in cool sports like skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating. ⛷️🏂
President Xi Jinping’s Snowy Vision
China’s leader, President Xi Jinping, thinks that ice and snow activities are not only fun but also great for the country’s growth. He wants more people to enjoy winter sports and help turn China’s “cold” resources into a “hot” engine for the economy! 🚀
More People Joining the Snow Fun
In recent years, winter sports have become super popular in China. During the 2023-2024 snow season, over 57 million people tried activities like skating, skiing, and even curling! That’s like the whole population of a big country enjoying snow sports! 🏒⛸️
A Boost to the Economy
All this excitement is also helping businesses. For example, during shopping festivals, sales of warm clothes and ski gear went up by over 200%! Online searches for ice and snow tours skyrocketed, meaning more people want to travel and have snowy adventures. 🛍️❄️
Big Plans for the Future
China has big goals for its ice and snow economy. By 2027, they aim to make it worth about 1.2 trillion yuan (that’s around 169 billion dollars!), and even more by 2030. Cities like Harbin are building new sports centers and parks to keep the snow fun going. 🏙️
Welcoming the World
The snowy excitement isn’t just for people in China. With easier visa policies and new flights, friends from all over the world are invited to join the icy fun. The ice and snow economy is helping not just China but also boosting global tourism. 🌏✈️
So, next time you think of winter, imagine visiting a place where you can explore ice castles, try new sports, and be part of a snowy adventure that’s helping make the world a more exciting place! ❄️🎿
Reference(s):
China's booming ice and snow industry fuels its economic growth
cgtn.com
