WTA Attends 42nd China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival

On the afternoon of January 5, the 42nd China Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival opened at Harbin Ice and Snow World. The opening ceremony was attended by XU Qin, Secretary of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee. LIANG Huiling, Governor of Heilongjiang Province; ZHENG Hao, WTA Vice Chair and Secretary-General; and Andrew Knack, Mayor of Edmonton, Canada, delivered speeches.

In his remarks, Mr. ZHENG Hao highlighted Heilongjiang’s growing appeal to both domestic and international travelers. In recent years, the province has vigorously promoted all-for-one and all-season tourism, accelerated the cultivation of new quality productive forces in the cultural and tourism sectors, and contributed positively to the prosperity of tourism and the advancement of exchange and mutual learning among civilizations. Over the past 41 years, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival has developed into one of the world’s most influential winter events. The World Tourism Alliance is committed to using its resources and platform to support Heilongjiang and Harbin in advancing international exchanges and cooperation, tapping into new market and industry opportunities, and fostering high-quality, international growth of the region’s tourism industry.

On the morning of January 5, the 2026 Ice and Snow Tourism Development Conference was held in Harbin. YU Hongtao, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee and Secretary of the Harbin Municipal Committee, and WEN Nuan, Vice Governor of Shandong Province, attended the opening ceremony. WANG Hesheng, Mayor of Harbin, and ZHENG Hao, WTA Vice Chair and Secretary-General, also attended and delivered a speech at the event.

As one of the world’s four major winter festivals, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival holds the distinction of being China’s first international celebration dedicated to ice and snow. This year’s edition, themed "One Frozen Wonderland, One Shared Future", showcases ten premium winter travel routes and features more than 200 cultural, sporting, and business activities centered around the ice and snow experience.