Ice and snow tourism booms in NW China's Gansu

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2026, shows tourists experiencing the intangible cultural heritage performance of Dinggangzi at the Shenlu Ice and Snow Kingdom in the Qilian Mountain Deer Culture Ecotourism Zone, Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, Zhangye City, northwest China's Gansu Province. Sunan County boasts abundant ice and snow resources, with the Qilian Mountains blanketed in snow year-round and featuring ice valleys, frozen waterfalls and rime formations. In recent years, the county has leveraged its unique natural endowments to build an ice-and-snow tourism brand, turning "cold" resources into a "hot" economy and promoting the integrated development of ice and snow, culture and sports, thereby boosting winter tourism. (Wang Jiang/Guangming Pictures)

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2026, shows tourists experiencing the charm of the inheritance of original ecological folk songs at the Snowman Square of the Shenlu Ice and Snow Kingdom in the Qilian Mountain Deer Culture Ecotourism Zone, Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, Zhangye City, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Wang Jiang/Guangming Pictures)

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2026, shows tourists singing, dancing and enjoying ice and snow activities at the Shenlu Ice and Snow Kingdom in the Qilian Mountain Deer Culture Ecotourism Zone, Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, Zhangye City, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Wang Jiang/Guangming Pictures)