Harbin, the "Ice City" in China's northernmost Heilongjiang province, kicked off its ice and snow season of 2023-24 at its Yabuli Sunshine Resort on Nov 20.
 
Wang Hongxin, director of the Harbin bureau of culture, broadcast and tourism, said that this year's ice and snow season has the slogan "Dragon Year Tour in the Ice City, Welcoming the Asian Winter Games Together" and will feature more than 100 events.
 
The aim is to create the most distinctive ice and snow flagship products, high-quality ice and snow itineraries, and branded festival activities, constantly improving the quality of tourism services and building an image of Harbin as an international ice and snow city.
 
This winter, Harbin is introducing 10 ice and snow experience products featuring popular activities such as skiing, study tours, and driving, including the Harbin Ice and Snow World, Yabuli Alpine Ski Resort, and Songhua River Ice and Snow Carnival.
 
Harbin has also launched skiing tourism routes relying on Volga Manor, the Yuquan Ski Resort, and the Pingshan Shenlu Ski Resort that can be reached within one hour of its suburbs.
 
In addition, 10 ice and snow themed tourism routes have been rolled out, such as the Dream Ice City Tour, Ice and Snow Art Tour, and Ice and Snow Culture Tour.
 
This year's Harbin Ice and Snow World will undergo a comprehensive upgrade, with the park area exceeding a record 800,000 square meters in area and seeing a significant enhancement in product services.
 
Harbin Polarland will host the world's largest penguin parade, while Volga Manor has launched China's first castle cross-country skiing activity.
 
In addition to these attractions, the stunning St. Sophia Church and the European-style Harbin Central Avenue await visitors. Guobaorou (fried pork in sweet and sour sauce), tieguodun (iron pot stew), tanghulu (candied fruit on a stick), and Madieer ice pops will give you a sample of Harbin's rich cuisine.
 
As the curtain rises on the 2023-2024 ice and snow season, Harbin's tourism distribution center will commence winter operations. Three direct bus routes from the center have opened so far, connecting Harbin with China's Snow Town, Yabuli, and Yuquan Ski Resort, respectively.