Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province anticipates surge in visitors as interest rises with the upcoming Asian Winter Games

A drone photo taken on Jan. 5, 2024 shows tourists having fun in front of a giant snowman near the Songhua River in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Known as China's "Ice City", Harbin has a reputation for its cool weather and diversified attractions, even during the summer months, which helps it remain attractive to tourists throughout the year. (Photo: Xinhua)

As preparations for the Asian Winter Games progress, there has been a noticeable increase in tourists from across Asia planning to visit Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, according to a press conference held on Tuesday, which focused on the preparations for the event.

The 9th Asian Winter Games is scheduled to be held in Harbin, the capital city of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, from February 7 to 14, 2025.

The spillover effect of the Asian Winter Games is gradually becoming evident, with a surge in the number of tourists from various Asian countries and regions expressing their intention to visit Heilongjiang during the upcoming winter season, Han Shengjian, vice governor of Heilongjiang Province, told a press conference on Tuesday.

"We are actively promoting collaboration with Asian nations in areas such as winter sports, cultural tourism, and economic investment, aiming for mutual benefits and sustained expansion of high-level opening up," Han said.

According to Han, tens of thousands of tourists from countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia are preparing to visit Harbin city with charter flights.

Han said that the province will coordinate preparations for the Asian Winter Games and the services for ice and snow tourism, promoting the development of the entire industry chain related to ice and snow sports, culture, equipment, and tourism.

"The goal is to create a world-class ice and snow tourism resort and a highland for the ice and snow economy," Han said.

Zhang Qiyang, a tourist from Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province, plans to attend the Asian Winter Games as a spectator and has been searching for accommodations and must-visit spots for the upcoming trip. "It's a perfect opportunity to explore the unique winter charm and vibrant local culture of China's northeast region," Zhang told the Global Times on Tuesday.

China Eastern Airlines, the official airline partner for the games, unveiled the first "Asian Winter Games" themed aircraft on Monday. Per the latest schedule, China Eastern Airlines will operate 20 daily round-trip flights on the Shanghai-Harbin route, providing air service for athletes and facilitating travelers visiting Harbin for the games.

According to data from the Chinese online travel platform Qunar.com, as of 3 pm on Tuesday, searches for Harbin rose by 285 percent over the past week, making the city with the highest growth in search popularity among domestic destinations.

From January to September 2024, Heilongjiang saw a surge in tourism, welcoming 186 million visits and generating 231.8 billion yuan ($32.47 billion) in revenue, marking year-on-year increases of 37 percent and 108 percent, respectively.

To further capitalize on this momentum, Heilongjiang will launch a new 100-day ice and tourism campaign starting on November 8 and ending on February 28, focusing on enhancing services across 10 key areas, including dining, accommodation, transportation, and entertainment, Han said.

"Through the hosting of the Asian Winter Games, we can further promote regional cooperation, including collaboration in winter sports, winter culture, and winter economy among Asian nations," Jiang Yiyi, a vice dean of the School of Leisure Sports and Tourism at Beijing Sport University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.