Take a flight of discovery high above the enchanting Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China with this stunning drone footage. Glide over magnificent ice palaces, illuminated sculptures, and vibrant winter displays that transform the city into a frosty wonderland.

As the 2025 Asian Winter Games concluded on February 14, the city of Harbin is now experiencing a remarkable upsurge in various aspects. The booming popularity, rising consumption and thriving industries are generating a strong momentum for the economy of the "Ice City.

It was the largest Games yet with a record 1,275 athletes from 34 countries and regions. But Harbin's popularity has long been underway.

Plenty of people are sceptical that the ice-and-snow economy can lead to long-term change. More tourism can help at the margins, but “the ski resort does not solve the structural-adjustment problem,” says Andrew Batson of Gavekal Dragonomics, a research firm in Beijing.

Harbin, China - Recent China's ice and snow tourism has experienced booming growth during the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush which just concluded on Saturday. Data from Tongcheng Travel, an online travel service provider,

The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival features ephemeral artworks built from ice blocks pulled from the Songhua River.

This year’s Asian Winter Games hosted in China were about more than entertainment: They are also part of an economic plan to boost consumer spending.

Every winter, Harbin, known as the “Ice City” in China’s northeastern Heilongjiang Province, transforms into a vibrant wonderland of ice sculptures, winter sports, and joyful snowball fights.

(250213) -- HARBIN, Feb. 13, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Teekhree Silpa-Archa of Thailand reacts during the women single skating free skating of figure skating event at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Yanan)

HARBIN, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's cross-country national team made history at the 2025 Asian Winter Games, wrapping up the competition with an unprecedented five gold medals after winning both the men's 4x7.5km and women's 4x5km relays on Wednesday.