NE China's Jilin sees boom in ice and snow tourism

Northeast China's Jilin Province has witnessed a boom in ice and snow tourism during the 2023-2024 winter season.

Photo shows tourists at a scenic area in Zhibei village, Meihekou city, northeast China's Jilin Province during the Spring Festival holiday. (Photo/Li Hanchi)

According to estimates from China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the province saw nearly 20.52 million domestic trips during the Spring Festival holiday that ran from Feb. 10 to Feb. 17 this year, jumping 55.48 percent year on year. It also saw a domestic tourism revenue of more than 20.06 billion yuan (about $2.79 billion), surging 57.03 percent year on year.

The number of domestic trips made during this holiday in the province was 22 percent higher than that recorded in the same period of 2019, while the domestic revenue was 22.88 percent higher than the 2019 level.

To make the most of its strengths in ice and snow resources, Jilin Province has been increasing investment in improving infrastructure and launching new ice and snow tourism products in recent years.

During this snow season, the province has distributed ice and snow consumption vouchers worth 30 million yuan to both local and out-of-town tourists and introduced a transportation subsidy worth 10 million yuan, continuously enhancing the appeal of ice and snow tourism.

Skiers are seen at the Vasaloppet China Changchun Jingyuetan International Ski Festival in Changchun, capital city of northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo/Feng Jiannan)

The Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism has launched 32 direct bus routes for winter tourism, enabling tourist groups to travel for free from major airports and high-speed railway stations in the province to major ski resorts and tourism destinations. The provincial capital Changchun has opened eight new bus routes for winter tourism, while Jilin city in the province has let restaurants in 10 specialty food blocks extend their operation hours.

Continuously developing new high-quality ice and snow tourism products and improving tourism services are crucial to Jilin Province's soaring popularity as an ice and snow destination this winter.

By leveraging its abundant ice and snow resources, the province has boosted the scale and strength of the winter sports industry in recent years, aiming to promote high-quality development of the ice and snow economy.

Currently, the province has 75 ski resorts, with the pistes covering a total area of more than 1,200 hectares and a total length of 358 kilometers. Out of the 26 national-level ski resorts, five are located in the province, which has ranked first nationwide in terms of the number of ski resort visitors for several consecutive years.

Located at 43 degrees north latitude, the Beidahu ski resort at the foot of the Changbai Mountains in Jilin city is one of the world's three major ski resorts having powder snow, alongside the Rocky Mountains in North America and the Alps in Europe.

Tourists are seen at the Changchun Ice and Snow New World in Changchun, capital city of northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo/Li Hanchi)

"It's amazing to ski here," said Peng Lingqi, a tourist from east China's Jiangsu Province. She and her friends also attended the second Spring Festival garden party at the ski resort. She was impressed by dragon dance and lion dance performances on snow there. "I can ski and experience traditional culture here. It’s worth coming," Peng said.

Zeng Yan, general manager of the Beidahu ski resort, said the resort has put 64 pistes with a total length of 72 kilometers into operation this snow season, and organized a rich array of competitions and activities, continuously providing tourists with a richer ice and snow tourism experience.

Tourists enjoy themselves in Songling village, Baishan city, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo/Sun Tieshi)

"The Beidahu ski resort, currently the largest single ski resort in Asia, has hosted numerous professional competitions, which has also attracted more tourists," said Yu Yueyang, secretary of the working committee of the Communist Party of China of the Jilin municipal ice and snow experimental zone.

During the Spring Festival holiday, the Beidahu ski resort received over 10,000 tourist visits daily on average, a year-on-year increase of more than 70 percent, Yu added.

The Changchun Ice and Snow New World has launched 30 experience and entertainment programs and over 500 performances this snow season, with its ice sculptures becoming a magnet for tourists seeking picturesque photo opportunities. During the Spring Festival holiday, the ice and snow destination saw a 69.3-percent rise in tourist visits compared to that of the previous year and a remarkable 126.5 percent year-on-year increase in operating revenue.

Jilin Province rolled out 73 ice and snow tourism products, 69 winter tourism routes in nine categories and 199 ice and snow tourism festivals, activities and winter sports competitions, boosting ice and snow consumption in the province.

Fishermen show their latest catch at Chagan Lake in Songyuan city, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo/Sun Xiaofeng)

The 22nd Chagan Lake Ice and Snow Fishing and Hunting Cultural Tourism Festival, which kicked off at Chagan Lake in Songyuan city of the province on Dec. 28, 2023, attracted 123,000 tourist visits on the first day, generating a combined tourism revenue of 108 million yuan.

Qu Sanmei, who runs an agritainment business near the lake, says she can earn over 300,000 yuan a year from the business. In addition, as many tourists from across the country want to buy fish from the lake even after they leave, she also sells fish to them through express delivery services.

In 2023, the Changbai Mountain Scenic Area, a national 5A-level scenic area, welcomed nearly 2.75 million tourist arrivals, representing a remarkable 260.45-percent growth compared to the previous year and setting a new record high.

In recent years, Jilin Province has promoted the development of its ice and snow economy, focusing on ice and snow tourism, sports, culture, and equipment, said Sun Guangzhi, head of the Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.