Harbin hosts global mayors dialogue on ice and snow industry development

Representatives at the Global Mayors Dialogue · Harbin gathered on Tuesday evening in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, to discuss experiences and practical cooperation strategies related to the ice and snow industry.

The event brings together mayors, deputy mayors, and mayoral representatives from countries including Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Turkiye.

Held under the theme "White Gold: Urban Development Driven by the Ice and Snow Economy", the dialogue salon took place at Harbin Ice and Snow World. It attracted mayors, deputy mayors, and city representatives from Harbin, Edmonton in Canada, Rovaniemi in Finland, Magdeburg in Germany, and Erzurum in Turkiye, among others.

Li Mian, executive vice-mayor of Harbin, said the 27th Harbin Ice and Snow World is currently the largest ice-and-snow-themed park in the world, using 400,000 cubic meters of ice. He noted that last winter the park operated for 68 days and received 3.56 million visits from domestic and international tourists.

"Harbin is a well-known ice city in China, the birthplace of modern ice-and-snow sports in the country, and an international destination for ice-and-snow tourism," Li said.

The vice-mayor added that the city continues to innovate its product offerings by introducing new experiences and cultural and tourism products tailored to different age groups and communities. "In doing so, we have transformed the entire city into an integrated cultural and tourism destination, rather than simply a single scenic area or attraction."

He also emphasized the importance of renewing development concepts, noting that Harbin has engaged leading domestic teams in creative design, performing arts, and ice-and-snow architecture. These efforts, he said, aim to introduce new formats, scenarios, and models to enhance visitor participation and experience.

Other representatives shared how their cities have transformed cold-climate resources into economic opportunities.

Andrew Knack, mayor of Edmonton, said the city embraces winter by turning ice and snow into community connectors, cultural heritage, and economic drivers through festivals and sporting events. "In many places, people often feel that winter is something to endure," he said. "But in cities like Harbin and Edmonton, and many other winter cities, we are growing and thriving together. We unite around different opportunities to create more arts and cultural festivals, as well as sporting events, so that people can genuinely engage and participate."

Heikki Kontiosalo, second chairman of the Rovaniemi City Council, said the city, known as the hometown of Santa Claus, has turned its long snow season into opportunities for tourism and public skiing by focusing on visitor experience and improving ski trails and facilities. He noted that local hotels and guest rooms play a role in attracting visitors, while the city continues to invest in snow structures and supporting infrastructure.

Zafer Aynali, vice-mayor of Erzurum, said the municipal government has brought ski center management under municipal control, leveraging its location 5 minutes from the city and 15 minutes from the airport. He added that development efforts will be further intensified in 2026, with higher development goals expected by 2027. Aynali said the city successfully hosted a world championship last year, with participants expressing satisfaction.

Thorsten Kroll, vice-mayor of Magdeburg, said that although the city has little snow and relatively high temperatures, it hopes to learn from and cooperate with Harbin in tourism and other sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, technology, and construction.