China is experiencing a remarkable surge in international visitors, allured by its stunning winter landscapes and innovative tourism offerings. Imagine swapping your usual tropical climate for the crisp, exhilarating air of snow-capped mountains – that's precisely the experience drawing tourists to China this winter!
Take, for instance, Malaysian tourist Luo Mingwei, who, along with his companions, was captivated by the breathtaking 'sea of clouds' atop Mount Emei in Sichuan Province. He and many others are seeking a refreshing contrast to their hot, humid homelands. They are eager to explore the country's famed snow-capped mountains and glaciers, a rare and exciting experience for many.
China's winter tourism season is booming, with an increasing number of overseas visitors flocking to its ice and snow destinations. From the cool getaways in the southwest to the 'Ice City' of Harbin, destinations nationwide are stepping up their game, providing foreign travelers with fresh and engaging 'China Travel' experiences.
Sichuan, in particular, stands out as a prime location for low-latitude ice-and-snow tourism. Its unique blend of snowy mountains and mild temperatures makes it a hit, especially among travelers from Southeast Asia.
Here are some impressive numbers:
- From January to November, the Mount Emei Scenic Area welcomed 224,800 inbound tourists.
- The top five source markets were Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, Indonesia, and Australia.
- At the Dagu Glacier scenic area, inbound visits soared to over 46,000, a 139.72% year-on-year increase.
- Tourists from Thailand and Malaysia accounted for 83.75% of the total.
- As of December 2nd, over 1.56 million foreign travelers had entered or exited Chengdu, the provincial capital, a 45.8% increase year-on-year.
- Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore were the top three source countries.
Jiang Huijun, chairperson of Jun-Air Travel, notes that Sichuan's unique offerings, including skiing programs, are a major draw for Southeast Asian tourists. She also highlights the impact of China's visa-free policies and trending social media topics in making the country a preferred destination.
But here's where it gets controversial... China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) reports that tourists from 76 countries now enjoy visa-free entry, either unilaterally or through mutual agreements. Transit exemptions have also been expanded to 55 countries. Visa-free entries accounted for over 7 million foreign arrivals in the third quarter of this year, representing 72.2% of all foreign entries and a 48.3% year-on-year increase. This is a huge shift!
Further north, in the Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Yanbian, themed travel photography experiences featuring traditional Korean attire have become a hit. Anna, a Russian tourist, raves about the beautiful photos and professional service, which allows visitors to appreciate China's ethnic culture fully.
Zhu Baokun, operations director of a local Korean ethnic folk park, points out that the booming ice-and-snow economy has fueled rapid growth in the local travel photography industry, attracting hundreds of photographers and makeup artists.
Meanwhile, in Harbin, the world's largest ice-and-snow theme park, Harbin Ice-Snow World, has just unveiled its grandest edition. Harbin's unique winter attractions have made it a social media sensation, igniting China's ice and snow fever. During the 2024-2025 winter tourism season, the city welcomed over 90 million visitors, with inbound arrivals jumping 94.2% year-on-year. Harbin has also been recognized by UN Tourism for its excellence in developing ice and snow tourism.
And this is the part most people miss... Harbin has improved travel convenience for international visitors by opening new direct flights and expanding routes. Benefiting from measures like the China-Russia trial visa-free policy, arrivals from Russia rose 136%, and inbound tourist spending surged 150% year-on-year in 2025. The city's ice-and-snow economy has now surpassed 160 billion yuan (about 22.68 billion U.S. dollars).
Sun Yeli, the minister of culture and tourism, has announced that China plans to develop high-quality inbound tourism products and routes and build inbound tourism consumption clusters during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
As the winter tourism peak continues, top attractions are rolling out innovative projects, including themed travel routes, ice and snow carnivals, and winter sports events.
What do you think about China's approach to attracting international tourists? Are you tempted to visit? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
