Harbin's tourism boom flash in social media pan

To boost the city's post-pandemic economic recovery, the government of Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, has made special efforts to take advantage of the winter months to attract visitors from the south of the country. During the three-day New Year's Day holiday from Dec 30 to Jan 1, the city received 3.05 million visits, with the revenue from tourism reaching 5.91 billion yuan ($828 million), both historical records.

It is worth mentioning that the city authorities have promptly and effectively addressed complaints of tourists about the organization and services of Harbin Ice-Snow World, the largest theme park of its kind in the world, and overcharging by local restaurants, which is regarded as being successful crisis management. Harbin's swift response to the complaints gave people a good impression of the city.

Moreover, it has also taken the initiative to provide thoughtful services to tourists. For instance many free warm and cozy rest stations have been set up at its major tourist attractions, which have proved popular with tourists, especially those not fully prepared for the bitter-cold reality of the fairy tale world of snow and ice.