-- Harbin Ice-Snow World in northeast China -- the world's largest ice-and-snow theme park -- will set a new record this winter by expanding its site to 1.25 million square meters, with a total of 400,000 cubic meters of ice and snow used.

The announcement was made on Monday at the opening ceremony of the 2026-2027 ice-and-snow season promotion event, held by the Heilongjiang provincial ice-and-snow tourism development promotion association.

In February this year, the globally renowned winter attraction in Harbin, Heilongjiang's provincial capital, received more than 120,000 visitors in a single day, a historic high, winning praise from domestic and international tourists.

The park is expected to feature more than 1,000 ice-and-snow structures this winter, with six major sections covering ice-and-snow landscapes, amusement experiences, performances, ice-and-snow competitions, themed IP and supporting services, offering an immersive winter experience. Core landmarks such as the park gate and main tower will be upgraded.

The visitor experience and performances will also be improved. "Key landscapes will be renewed, and there will be more interactive experiences," said Sun Zemin, a promoter of Harbin Ice-Snow World.

In deepening the integration of sports and tourism, Harbin Ice-Snow World will work with Harbin municipal sports bureau to host a series of ice-and-snow sports events, covering curling and ice hockey among others, to promote winter sports.

The theme park is now in full preparation for the 2026-2027 ice-and-snow season.

China has unveiled an ambitious plan to develop its ice and snow economy as a new economic driver, targeting a total market size of 1.2 trillion yuan (about 178.3 billion U.S. dollars) by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030, according to a guideline released by the State Council in 2024.

Leveraging the opportunity, Harbin is implementing a slew of market regulation and tourist guidance measures to continue optimizing its tourism experience, adding greater economic momentum through the use of its ice and snow resources.