Sunday, August 25, 2024 Northeast China is seeing a surge in summer tourism as visitors seek cooler escapes amid record heatwaves, turning once snowy landscapes into popular retreats. Standing before the icy fragments clinging to a cliff, Liu Zhuohui from Shanghai was exhilarated. He praised his wise choice to escape the oppressive summer heat by visiting a geological forest park in Northeast China.
After a successful ice-and-snow season last winter, attractions in northeast China, once famous for their stunning winter landscapes, are now enjoying increased popularity during the summer months. This season, severe heatwaves have gripped southern, eastern, and central China, causing concern. In July, temperatures at 59 national weather stations soared to match or exceed historical records, making the summer especially difficult for those in the southern and eastern areas.
Data from the travel platform Mafengwo reveals that it’s becoming popular for Chinese travelers to spend their summer vacations in the northeastern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. Besides well-known tourist destinations like Dalian and Harbin, smaller cities such as Yichun, Dandong, Benxi, Jinzhou, Qiqihar, and Huludao are also attracting visitors. Similar to the boost in winter tourism during the Chinese Lunar New Year, the two-month summer break has led to increased demand for cooler destinations in the northeast.
The provinces are taking advantage of this trend to enhance their tourism sector. Inside the Beishan Four Seasons Cross-country Ski Resort’s indoor rime ice lab in Jilin, Chen Jiajia donned a down jacket and stepped into a frosty wonderland. Here, crystal rime coated the trees amid a foggy, white ambiance, offering a refreshing escape from the August heat, which was 30 degrees warmer outside.
The resort, known as Asia’s first all-weather standardized cross-country skiing training venue, was initially exclusive to national teams and professional athletes. It opened its doors to the public last winter and quickly became a tourist hotspot. Xu mentioned that the ski resort has expanded its offerings to include new activities such as snow sledding, sightseeing vehicle tours, and shooting to meet the varied interests of visitors, in addition to promoting cross-country skiing to a broader audience.
Elsewhere, at the Changchun Tiandingshan Ski Resort in Changchun, Jilin’s capital, what is covered in deep snow in the winter turns into verdant grass-covered slopes during summer. Prior to the summer season, Changbai Mountain in Jilin, which hosts numerous top-tier ski resorts, introduced an online car-hailing service featuring 350 vehicles to accommodate the surge in summer travelers. Du Yili, vice president of the China Tourism Association, commented on the strategy employed by local authorities to foster a dual-season tourist appeal—highlighting icy adventures in winter and cool retreats in summer—aimed at balancing ecological sustainability with economic progress.
Historically known as China’s oldest industrial region and referred to as the “rust belt” due to its economic restructuring challenges, northeast China has transformed its harsh winters into a strategic advantage. The region leverages its cold climate not only to attract winter sports enthusiasts but also automotive companies interested in conducting extreme cold-weather testing..
