The capital of China’s northernmost province of Heilongjiang, Harbin is renowned as the “crown jewel of ice and snow” in the country.

The city has emerged as one of the top tourist destinations this winter. During this year’s three-day New Year holiday, it received some 3.05 million tourists, a record high, raking in a tourism revenue of 5.91 billion yuan (about 831.75 million U.S. dollars).

With winter tourism injecting a robust momentum into the local economy, numerous global players are drawn to the snowy province, capitalizing on new opportunities amid the prevailing enthusiasm for ice and snow tours.

Expressing delight at the thriving hotel business, Pierre G. Chidiac, general manager of Sofitel Harbin, said there’s been a remarkable surge in passenger numbers at both the airport and train stations. Sofitel Harbin is operated by the leading French hospitality group Accor, boasting over 5,100 branded hotels in more than 100 countries and regions globally.

The French hotelier is confident that these winter “adventure” journeys will increasingly attract international tourists and businesses to Harbin, making ice and snow tourism a powerful driver of economic development.

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong