Sizzling theme park ignites Harbin’s ice, snow economy

BEIJING: Ban Ruiqi and her family recently took a trip to Harbin in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province. Despite the extremely cold weather there, the tourists from Beijing skied, shopped, and generally had a good time during the three-day New Year holiday. “We went to the Chinese-Baroque Historic Block in the morning and the Harbin Ice and Snow World in the afternoon, where I saw some local souvenirs and specialties. I bought some for my friends and relatives back home. I especially liked the hand-drawn postcards,” Ban said.As an increasing number of travellers show greater enthusiasm for winter tourism, Harbin’s ice and snow economy is booming. With the opening of various ice and snow-themed parks, the city has become popular among…