Magical icy world attracts tourists - 19th January 2024

The Harbin Ice Sculpture Festival in China’s back in business. Free from Covid restrictions, people have travelled from across the country to visit these ice constructions.

Although 18,500 daily visitors already passed through the park’s gates in 2018, that’s now risen to over 30,000. During the New Year’s holidays, the festival welcomed 163,200 visitors, who spent $6.45 million in the local economy.

They came to see ice sculptures of traditional Chinese buildings, as well as bridges, fairytale castles and ice slides, which entertain the children. There’s even an ice version of Notre Dame - the famous Paris cathedral.

By night, the sculptures are lit with colourful lights and fireworks, which impressed Zhao Ying.

Zhao Ying: "Even though it’s a bit cold, I think the ice sculptures are really beautiful. Also we just saw a fireworks show. I was very shocked because I’ve never seen fireworks like that before. It was really worth it."

The popularity of the festival’s been a boost for China’s most northerly province, Heilongjiang, where temperatures can reach minus 24 degrees celsius. Thanks to this ‘ice and snow miracle’, Harbin’s seen in excess of 3 million visitors, who are mainly from the country's warmer south.

These visitors have been nicknamed "Southern Little Potatoes" due to their thick hats which have furry ears. This hashtag’s gone viral on social media, which has led to even more interest in the region. People are attracted by its cold and snowy weather.

For 3 university friends, the cold was all part of the experience.

Fu: "Also I think going through the cold and preparing for it is part of the fun experience of coming to Harbin, everybody preparing together, and sharing how to prepare how to get through the cold."

Lin: "Yes, but even though we prepared a lot, my feet still can’t handle it. I need to go indoors."