Asian Winter Games bring economic windfall to small town in northeast China

The 9th Asian Winter Games have sparked widespread excitement for winter sports and tourism, transforming a small town in Heilongjiang, northeast China, into a thriving winter wonderland and a must-visit destination for travelers.

Scheduled for February 7 to 14, the Games will be hosted across two competition zones, one in Harbin City and the other in Yabuli County, a subordinate county of Harbin.

Only more than 100 kilometers away from Yabuli, Hengdaohezi Town has abundant historical buildings and won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2018.

Currently, the town is experiencing a peak in winter tourism, with a steady stream of visitors coming to ski and capture the scenic beauty.

The ice and snow industry has evidently become a new pillar of economic development for the town.

"We've never seen such large amounts of snow before, and seeing it for the first time is really exciting," said one of the visitors.

The rapid development of winter tourism has transformed Hengdaohezi from a secluded ice town surrounded by mountains into a popular destination.

"I had never been here before, and it completely meets my expectations of what northeast China looks like," another tourist said.

Homestays, photography studios, and cafes have sprung up amid the influx of tourists, with more young people choosing to return home to start their own businesses.

Song Zhihui, a cafe owner in Hengdaohezi Town, shared her inspiring story of building a successful business.

"After the winter tourism boom over the past two years, I thought maybe I should come back home to create a more elegant place for tourists to have a better resting spot during their travels," said Song.

She added that the cafe sells an average of about 200 cups of coffee daily.

Previously, Hengdaohezi had 167 businesses in accommodation, dining, and travel photography. In 2024, more than 80 new businesses have opened to customers.

"Hengdaohezi is so popular now, coinciding with the timing of the Asian Winter Games, bringing us a significant influx of visitors. As northeast China's winter tourism gains wide recognition, we are truly experiencing what it means that ice and snow are invaluable assets," said Song.