STORY: Social media fuels tourism boom in China
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 15, 2024/earlier footage
DATELINE: Jan. 16, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:04
LOCATION: HARBIN/CHANGCHUN, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Harbin
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI XIAOQING, Tourist from Hebei Province
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): LIU ZHIMING, Tourist from Hebei Province
4. various of Jilin
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): WU WENBIN, Tourist from Anhui Province
6. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): HUANG JINGXIAN, Tourist from Beijing

STORYLINE:

Since the start of this year's ice and snow season, short videos showcasing incredible views in Harbin, China's "ice city," have gone viral on social media platforms.

Attracted by the videos, many tourists have flocked to the city to savor the winter fun, while generously sharing online the warmth, hospitality, and care they have received.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI XIAOQING, Tourist from Hebei Province
"On the way here (to Harbin), I saw on Douyin that in Harbin, you can have a princess-like experience, and I wanted to try that. So, I came to this freezing yet beautiful place."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): LIU ZHIMING, Tourist from Hebei Province
"People in Harbin are very welcoming. They are straightforward and have the warmth characteristic of folks in the northeast." 

During the three-day New Year holiday, Harbin received more than 3 million visitors, raking in 5.91 billion yuan (about 831.97 million U.S. dollars) of tourism revenue. 

The city's popularity among tourists has skyrocketed.

Among the most popular videos filmed in Harbin, there are a series about a group of children from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The adorable children set off a craze in cyberspace and have accumulated a flood of followers curious about their adventure in the north.

Their trip has also brought about a round of friendly interactions between Heilongjiang and Guangxi, unlocking a mutually beneficial approach to promoting cultural and tourism development.

Meanwhile, other cities in northeast China have also taken the opportunity to improve services and attract tourists.

At the Ice and Snow Grand World in Changchun, Jilin Province, dazzling ice installations have wowed visitors. 

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): WU WENBIN, Tourist from Anhui Province
"I came here to experience the warmth and hospitality of the people in the northeast, to see if the place is as fun as they say. I find this ice and snow park really impressive."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): HUANG JINGXIAN, Tourist from Beijing
"I queued for an hour to ride the 1 km-long ice slide. It's totally worth it, very long and thrilling, a great experience."

Amid the growing popularity both online and offline, many tourists have made cities in northeastern China their wish list travel destinations for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday.
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harbin/Changchun, China.
(XHTV)