Harbin unveils iconic giant snowman as peak tourism season approaches

HARBIN, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The iconic giant snowman of northeast China's Harbin returned larger than ever on Tuesday, heralding the city's upcoming winter tourism peak.

Standing 19 meters tall, measuring 14 meters in length and 11 meters in width, the snowman was dug and carved out of over 3,500 cubic meters of snow, with tourists swarming to take pictures of its classic red scarf and round face.

The construction of the snowman began on Dec. 4, with a team of 64 sculptors and more than 100 construction workers spending 11 days to complete the project. Builders utilized snow-making machines instead of natural snowfall this year to ensure the pure, velvety texture of the figure.

What began as an unofficial project among local sanitary workers in 2019 quickly gained popularity on Chinese social media, leading the snowman to become an annual fixture of the city's winter appeal, as well as a landmark of China's ice and snow tourism.

Harbin, which is often referred to as China's "ice city," is a hub of the country's booming ice and snow economy. Last winter, the city welcomed a record 90.36 million visitors, generating 137.22 billion yuan (about 19.4 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue -- a 16.6 percent year-on-year increase.

Beyond its giant snowman, Harbin is set to unveil a series of other winter wonders in the coming days, including the 1.5-million-square-meter Sun Island Snow Expo and an Ice and Snow Carnival along the frozen Songhua River, said Wang Hongxin, director of the city's culture, radio, television and tourism department.

Harbin Ice-Snow World, the city's main attraction and the world's largest ice and snow theme park, will open officially on Dec. 17, featuring its iconic super ice slides, magnificent ice sculptures, and new projects including hot spring campsites, cross-country ski routes and various winter sports activities, Wang said.

China is positioning the ice and snow economy as a key driver of development and consumption, with its scale expected to reach 1.2 trillion yuan by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030.

The nation reiterated the importance of efforts to "expand the supply of high-quality goods and services" at its recent Central Economic Work Conference, and experts are anticipating a more vibrant winter tourism market as the peak season approaches. ■