As night falls, the Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, transforms into a luminous spectacle, resonating with laughter and cheers from enthusiastic crowds. This vibrant scene transcends mere winter festivities — it embodies the dynamic growth of China’s surging ice-and-snow tourism. On Jan. 1, 2026, alone, Harbin received more than 1.4 million visitors, up 11.4 percent year on year.

The “Harbin phenomenon” reflects the robust expansion of China’s ice-and-snow economy. Between 2016 and 2024, the size of China’s ice-and-snow industry surged from 364.7 billion yuan ($52.37 billion) to 980 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 21.09 percent. The number is expected to surpass the one-trillion-yuan mark in 2025. For three consecutive winter seasons, over 300 million trips have been made to ice and snow-related destinations in China.

Upgraded products, stronger supply

Advances in materials science and industrial innovation are driving recognition of domestically produced winter sports equipment among Chinese consumers.

At the Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin city, northeast China’s Jilin province, a young visitor, Tang Wenhao, examined a newly introduced snowboard made of carbon fiber. “It’s domestically made, lightweight, and easy to use,” he said after receiving the board from staff of Xifei, a homegrown brand.

“Xifei” is a registered trademark of Jilin Chemical Fiber Group, one of China’s major carbon fiber producers. In recent years, the company has set its sights on the winter sports equipment market, leveraging its integrated industrial chain to develop carbon-fiber skis and snowboards.

“We began developing carbon-fiber snowboards in 2023,” said Zhou Zhiyou, deputy director of market development at the company’s sales center. “Our products are benchmarked against leading international brands, but are offered at more affordable prices.”

According to Zhou, carbon-fiber boards are about 30 percent lighter than conventional models, while offering three to five times greater strength and improved resistance to impact.

Industry experts confirm China has established a comprehensive winter sports equipment ecosystem spanning 15 major categories — from individual gear to venue facilities, catering to both professional and recreational needs. The sector is transitioning from contract manufacturing to independent R&D and standards development, fueled by smart technologies and advanced materials.

Innovative Operations Models

China’s winter sports boom is overcoming traditional climate limitations, expanding southward through year-round indoor facilities in cities such as Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Shenzhen. These venues serve dual purposes as urban leisure destinations and professional training hubs.

Southern cities are developing competitive differentiation through creative projects. At the ICE PANDA, an indoor ice-climbing venue in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan province, the crisp sound of ice axes striking the wall echoes through the hall as enthusiasts, guided by coaches, savor the thrill of scaling icy heights.

“Ice climbing is an extreme sport that combines strength, technique, and courage. It tests physical ability and offers visual spectacle,” said Li Changchen, the venue’s general manager. As China’s first indoor ice-climbing facility, the venue features professional-grade ice walls about 12.5 meters high, with slopes ranging from 60-degree inclines to 90-degree vertical faces, offering suitable challenges for both beginners and seasoned climbers.

Enthusiast Jiang Shou noted: “Urban venues dramatically reduce barriers to entry compared to outdoor climbing, which requires significant equipment and travel investment. With Chengdu’s proximity to snow-capped mountains, our ‘indoor training + outdoor application’ model offers exceptional practicality.”

Refreshed Consumption Experiences

At dusk, a group of tourists clad in specially designed suits that are both cold- and water-resistant floated serenely on the surface of a frozen lake, immersed in a tranquil blue stillness. They struck creative poses as a drone rose overhead and captured the moment.

This is “ice floating,” a new ice-and-snow program introduced this winter in Altay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

According to Cheng Hou, head of an ice-floating tourism studio in Altay, the project is designed to immerse visitors in nature while promoting relaxation. Openings are carved into sealed ice lakes, allowing tourists to float effortlessly and savor the poetic beauty of winter.

“Since being launched, it has been extremely popular, especially among young people. We expect to welcome around 10,000 visitors over the winter,” Cheng said.

In recent years, Xinjiang has stepped up policy support for winter tourism, diversifying relevant offerings and building distinctive tourism brands. In Altay alone, a range of new activities has been introduced, including ice fishing, ice-and-snow theme parks, and horse riding on snow. Ski resorts have also added hot-air balloons, paragliding, and snowmobiles, expanding the “skiing-plus” model and enriching the supply of ice-and-snow tourism products.

This winter season, Xinjiang rolled out more than 500 featured cultural and tourism events. During the 2026 New Year holiday, the region received 1.68 million visitors, generating total tourism spending of 1.53 billion yuan.

By Wang Donghui, Zheng Zhiwen, Li Kaixuan, Shang Rongzheng

Source: People’s Daily