Heilongjiang’s Ice and Snow Tourism Flourishes Under National Policy Guidance
The ice and snow tourism industry in Heilongjiang has seen a tremendous boost this winter, with Harbin in particular being a popular destination. Experts point to the guidance of national policies as a major contributing factor to this surge. Li Qingjun, an expert from the Domestic Trade Economic Group of the Provincial Science and Technology Economic Advisory Committee, emphasized the significance of national policies and their alignment with the top-level design of the Party Central Committee and the country.
The interest in ice and snow tourism in Heilongjiang can be traced back to the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping. During the Fourth Session of the 12th National People’s Congress, Xi Jinping proposed that “the world of ice and snow is also a mountain of gold and silver.” This led to a focus on developing the ice and snow economy based on the ecological environment and biological resource advantages of Northeast China. A long-term plan was formulated through the “14th Five-Year Plan for Comprehensive Revitalization of Northeast China” to promote the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China and create new opportunities for the development of the ice and snow economy.
The 13th Provincial Party Congress also laid out plans to achieve “changing lanes and overtaking” by developing four major new economies, with a focus on establishing a new benchmark for the ice and snow economy. As a result, Heilongjiang issued the “Heilongjiang Province Ice and Snow Economy Development Plan (2022-2030)” and several policies and measures to support the development of the ice and snow economy. These policies have driven the implementation of enterprises and projects, resulting in a surge of ice and snow tourism in the region.
Harbin, in particular, has set ambitious goals for its ice and snow economy, aiming to reach a total output value of the ice and snow industry of 75 billion yuan by 2025 and 150 billion yuan by 2030. The city has introduced various plans and supporting policies to promote the high-quality development of ice and snow cultural tourism.
Ma Jingmei, a member of the Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, stated that the rich ice and snow resources and ice and snow culture of Heilongjiang and Harbin have received significant policy support, resulting in exceptional development.
The surge in ice and snow tourism in Harbin has also been attributed to the issuance of online cultural tourism consumption coupons and the expansion of tourist attractions. The China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Ice and Snow Sports Demonstration Zone is also being constructed, further driving the popularity of ice and snow tourism in Harbin.
In conclusion, the increase in popularity of ice and snow tourism in Heilongjiang and Harbin reflects the province’s efforts to develop a strong ice and snow economy under the guidance of national policies. The province has managed to utilize its cold resources for economic development, marking significant progress in promoting regional integrated development and boosting confidence in revitalizing Northeast China. The surge of “Erbin” as a popular tourist destination is seen as a positive step toward the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China, aligning with the country’s goals of national rejuvenation and modernization.
Editor: Zhang Juan