UN Tourism formally recognized Harbin for its leadership and excellence in ice snow tourism development on Tuesday. The northeastern Chinese city has emerged as a major winter destination, drawing increasing numbers of domestic and international visitors with its distinctive seasonal attractions.

Renowned for its spectacular ice and snow sculptures — most notably at the annual Ice and Snow World — Harbin is further enhancing its winter appeal with the launch of more than 100 themed events this season, aiming to stimulate its cold weather economy and reinforce its status as a leading global hub for winter tourism.