People watch a light show in a square in Harbin, the capital of northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province, on May 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)
HARBIN, May 8 (Xinhua) – Harbin, known as China’s “ice city” in northeastern Heilongjiang province, saw a 35% year-on-year increase in tourist numbers and a 71.7% increase in tourism revenue during the May Day period. reported. This shows the continued growth and development vitality of the city’s tourism market.
During the five-day holiday, Harbin welcomed more than 6.2 million tourists and generated nearly 7.3 billion yuan (approximately US$1.03 billion) in tourism revenue, according to the Harbin Tourism Bureau.
According to data released by Ctrip, a leading Chinese travel platform, inbound tourist orders to Harbin as a destination have increased by 85% year-on-year.
The city has been witnessing a tourism boom since it gained popularity on social media platforms last winter. Harbin’s rich ice and snow resources, attentive services for tourists, and favorable government policies have transformed Harbin into a bustling vacation destination.
During the three-day New Year holiday, the city welcomed nearly 3.05 million tourists and collected 5.91 billion yuan in tourism revenue. Both the number of tourists and the amount of tourism revenue exceeded those of 2019, reaching record highs.
Despite melting ice and snow and the closure of the landmark theme park Harbin Ice and Snow World, the ice city’s tourism enthusiasm remains undiminished.
A drone photo taken on May 3, 2024 shows a light show in a square in Harbin, the capital of northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)
In order to attract more tourists and improve overall services, Harbin has introduced a variety of activities, innovated the consumption scene, and enhanced the consumer experience during vacation.
On the first day of the May Day holiday, a giant inflatable castle theme park was opened to the public at the Ice Snow World venue. In place of the original snowman, a brand new inflatable snowman, measuring 18 meters in height, was introduced, attracting parents and children to experience the new theme park.
“Harbin’s tourism boom should not be limited to the winter season, but should flourish all year round,” said Wang Hongxin, director of the Harbin Culture and Tourism Bureau.
Theme buses and theme cruise ships have provided an opportunity to enjoy the city’s sights, nighttime light shows, drone performances, and the beautiful Songhua River. The city also hosts plays, symphonies, ballets, and other performances for tourists from all over the world.
Local resident Cang Xin said, “I didn’t expect so many people to gather at the main tourist spots. I was very happy to go out with friends and feel the lively atmosphere during the holidays.” .
To further promote summer tourism, Harbin plans to hold more activities featuring music, beer and performance festivals. ■
