Dubbed as China's ice city, Harbin has seen its annual ice and snow festival 
kick off recently. 

Harbin, capital city in China's northernmost Heilongjiang Province, is located 
in the center of Northeast Asia. Serving as an important hub of the first 
Eurasian land bridge and air corridor, it has played an essential role in the 
cooperation between China and Russia. 

Li Long, director of the management office of the Central Street in downtown 
Harbin, said that 43 ice and snow sculptures have been built in the Central 
Street for the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival this year, attracting numerous 
pedestrians to experience the vitality and joy brought by ice and snow.

During the ice and snow festival, people can enjoy themselves not only at the 
33rd Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Exposition, but also in 
the Harbin Ice-Snow World, a renowned seasonal theme park opening every winter.

Just before the one-year countdown to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and 
Paralympic Games, Harbin has taken this opportunity to turn its ice and snow 
resources into an advantageous industry. 

Statistics showed that in the first three days of 2021, the 11 tourist 
attractions monitored by Harbin have received more than 530,000 tourists.

According to a report released at the 2021 China Ice and Snow Tourism 
Development Forum by the China Tourism Academy, China's ice and snow leisure 
tourism is expected to witness 230 million visits from 2020 to 2021 and its 
revenue is projected to surpass 390 billion yuan.

Wang Zhaoli, Party secretary of Harbin, noted that the ice city will tap the 
potential of ice and snow resources, conduct extensive exchanges and 
cooperation, promote the high-quality development of ice and snow economy, and 
strive to build a world-renowned ice and snow tourism destination in the 
following five years.

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Source: Xinhua Silk Road