The evening of February 7, in the “ice city” Harbin, a grand opening ceremony attracted the attention of all. Handheld ice lanterns of the little girl and China's first speed skating Winter Olympic champion Zhang Hong hand in hand lit the ninth Asian Winter Games (hereinafter referred to as “Asian Winter Games”) the main torch. When the lilac flame symbolizing ice and passion bloomed, the whole field boiled, the Asian Winter Games theme song “Light up Asia” played: “Light up Asia, light up the stars, we use the heartbeat together ensemble; Light up Asia, millions of hands, pulled together into a warm current .......” At this moment, Harbin not only shows the romance of ice and snow, highlights the fervor of the movement, but also looks forward to a broader prospect of the ice and snow economy.

Ice and snow event bloomed again

This year's Asian Winter Games is another major comprehensive international ice and snow sports event held in China after the Beijing Winter Olympics, and is also the third Asian Winter Games held in China after the 1996 Harbin Asian Winter Games and the 2007 Changchun Asian Winter Games.

From 1996 to 2025, nearly 30 years, China's ice and snow industry chain is constantly improving. The Asian Winter Games will further promote the development of related industries and help the snow and ice economy “hotter”.

“Ice and snow is also a gold mountain.” Harbin International Convention and Exhibition Sports Center said. Since the success of the Beijing Winter Olympics bid, the ice and snow industry is rapidly warming up and show a strong potential for development.

The General Office of the State Council issued “on the high-quality development of ice and snow sports to stimulate the vitality of the ice and snow economy of a number of opinions” (hereinafter referred to as “Opinions”) put forward to consolidate and expand the “drive three hundred million people to participate in ice and snow sports” results to ice and snow sports as a leader, leading the development of the whole industry chain of ice and snow culture, ice and snow equipment, snow and snow tourism, and to promote the snow and ice economy to become a new growth point. The economy has become a new growth point. The Asian Winter Games will send another “winter” wind for the development of the snow and ice economy.

Ice and snow economy has become a new engine to promote industrial development

The organization of the Asian Winter Games further drove the Harbin snow and ice tourism market is hot. The data released by the same journey travel show that as of February 7, Harbin hotel bookings increased by nearly 60% year-on-year. Since this year, the same journey travel platform “Harbin” related search heat year-on-year growth of more than 3 times.

In the domestic tourists and Harbin two-way run to the same time, this year Harbin inbound tourism market is also hot. As of February 5, 2025 Harbin inbound tourism orders compared to the same period last year, an increase of more than 3 into the domestic inbound tour of the top 3 cities.

Harbin tour guide Shi Mingzi said, in the name of the Asian Winter Games, Harbin is with enthusiasm and smile to meet every guest. The cold of minus 30 degrees Celsius can not freeze the enthusiasm of the Northeast people, like the Songhua River ice under the spring tide, breeding ice out of the surging passion.

Aiming at the “winter” wind, ice and snow sports as the leading ice and snow consumption is becoming an important growth point for expanding domestic demand. Taking the opportunity of the Asian Winter Games, Heilongjiang Province to promote the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Ice and Snow Sports Demonstration Zone construction, accelerate the layout of the ice and snow equipment industrial park, digital industrial park, and further promote the upgrading of the ice and snow industry.

Ice and snow economy brings a better tomorrow

Ice and snow tourism in Harbin has led to the development of ice and snow tours in Heilongjiang province, such as Mohe, Fuyuan and Xuexiang, which have also welcomed more tourists. In the long run, this “spillover effect” or will promote the development of the entire Northeast region's snow and ice economy.

Industry sources believe that in the policy support and encouragement, the snow and ice economy has a bright future. Opinions” put forward, by 2027, China's ice and snow economy to reach 1.2 trillion yuan, by 2030 to reach 1.5 trillion yuan. This figure heralds a huge space for the future development of the ice and snow economy.

“The Harbin Asian Winter Games will not only bring short-term economic stimulus to Heilongjiang Province, but will also promote the long-term development of the ice and snow industry, promote the synergistic progress of the regional economy, enhance the international influence, and inject strong kinetic energy into the revitalization of Northeast China.” Industry insiders said so.