Snowy Harbin Draws Millions During Lunar New Year Holiday

What’s new: Ice sculptures and snowy slopes in the northern Chinese city of Harbin drew throngs of tourists during the Lunar New Year holiday, extending the city’s newfound popularity among many budget-conscious travelers.

The snowy capital of Heilongjiang province recorded more than 6.29 million visits made by travelers during the first five days of the Lunar New Year holiday from Feb. 10 to 14, a year-on-year increase of 82.9%, according to Zhu Zhanchun, deputy director of the city’s culture and tourism bureau at a press briefing Thursday.