The Ice City in China Attracts Tourists from Around the World (photo).

China Begins Ice Harvesting Season to Develop 'Ice' Economy

In Harbin, the capital of the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang, the ice harvesting season from the Songhua River has started. This marks the beginning of preparations for the famous ice sculpture festival, which attracts many tourists. Workers who manually extract ice are familiar with the process and carry it out with precision and experience. The harvested ice will be used to create sculptures for the festival, which will take place in December, as well as to decorate venues during the 2025 Asian Winter Games.

China Plans to Develop Specialized Economy

According to a representative of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province, interest in winter tourism is growing in China. This is driven by the popularity of winter sports following the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. China aims to develop its 'ice' and 'snow' economy, targeting a volume of 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030.

Other measures are being taken to develop winter tourism in China. For example, Chinese car manufacturers are finding ways to bypass EU tariffs by increasing hybrid vehicle exports to Europe and expanding their model ranges for this market.