Yabuli Ski Resort Starts Operating

The world-class Yabuli Ski Resort Area welcomed its first batch of tourists on Nov 16, according to local officials.

Yabuli Ski Resort Area is made up of several large ski resorts situated around three mountains, which reach an altitude of more than 1,000 meters.

Yabuli Sunshine Resort, the ski resort affiliated with the Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau and Yaxue Tourism Group CO Ski Resort, is the most popular in the area.

To provide better services and attract tourists, ski resorts in Yabuli have cooperated to launch a preferential card, which gives the cardholder access to all of Yabuli’s ski resorts.

During the new skiing season, Yabuli Ski Resort Area is opening 46 skiing trails, capable of handling up to 15,000 tourists skiing at the same time.

Additionally, direct tourist trains connecting Harbin to the west and south railway stations of Yabuli have been launched; and a high-speed cable car system serving the skiing trails on Erguokui Mountain will soon be operating.


Preparations for Sun Island Snow Sculpture Expo Kick Off

Preparations for this year's 32th Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo started on Nov 24, according to information recently released by the event's management committee.

A total of 11 snow machines are working on the Sun Island scenic area around the clock to create snow for the expo. They will work for about one month to make preparations for further snow sculpture making and carving.

It is estimated that around 110,000 cubic meters of snow will be used to make snow sculptures this year.

The expo is the origin of China's snow sculpture art, according to the organizers.

Every year, snow sculptures integrating carving art and acousto-optic technologies go on display. The expo highlights include a four-day sculpture competition, attracting famous sculptors from home and abroad to demonstrate their skills.

Local officials said the expo, together with Harbin Ice and Snow World, has become a key event to promote ice and snow tourism in Harbin, capital city of China's northernmost province.