An international ice-snow festival featuring Chinese, Russian
and Mongolian styles is set to be held in northern China's Inner
Mongolia Autonomous Region later this month.
As of December 22, the festival will demonstrate nearly 200
pieces of ice-snow sculptures and miniature constructions in a park
covering some 60,000 sq m in Manchu city, which borders Russia and
Mongolia, according to Yun Guangzhong, chief director of the
festival.
Firework displays and round-city tours will also be included in
the two-month event, the ninth of its kind to be jointly held by
the China National Tourism Administration and the local governments
of neighboring countries.
Total investment in the festival is expected to reach 5 million
yuan (about 676,000 U.S. dollars) and most of the fund is from
local enterprise donations.
Chinese workers are cutting ice and preparing snow before
artists could start sculpting. Preparatory works are in full
swing.
Last year's festival attracted more than 130,000 Russian and
Mongolian tourists. Manchu city is expected to receive some 4
million tourists both at home and from abroad, according to the
local government.
Ice-snow festivals and tours have become a key tourist
attraction in China's northeastern region, which is famous for the
prominent and picturesque winter landscapes.
(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2007)