(Yicai) Nov. 27 -- Northern Chinese provinces with abundant winter resources, such as Jilin, and southern regions facing the low season for tourism, like Guizhou, have launched various promotional campaigns to grab a share of the year-end winter travelers and stimulate consumption.

Winter sports and ice-snow tourism are a natural advantage in northern regions, especially in the northeast, with Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces unveiling a series of related activities and promotional events. The Ice and Snow World in Heilongjiang's Harbin has expanded to 1 million square meters.

In addition, Heilongjiang added new international flight routes to Southeast and Northeast Asia and launched a direct ski train service from Beijing to Yabuli. Sichuan province also promotes snow mountain sightseeing, hot spring tours, and other winter activities to attract visitors.

Amid the downturn in the real economy, many regions use tourism to stimulate economic growth and have significantly increased marketing efforts, said Chen Qiankang, professor at Sichuan Normal University's History, Culture, and Tourism College and president of the Sichuan Tour Guides Association.

The surge in winter tourists has encouraged some southern provinces, traditionally facing the off-season, to develop new offerings. Guizhou launched folk festivals, village sports events, and other tourism products to compete for visitors in winter. Yunnan province combined tourism with rural revitalization and new urbanization, promoting a "tourism +" business model.

Tourism has a clear driving effect on regional economies, Chen noted. Bookings in related sectors, including aviation, accommodation, and scenic spots, surge when the tourism industry is growing, highlighting its significant role in driving overall development, Chen pointed out.

Liaoning province welcomed 40.87 million tourists during the Chinese New Year last year, up 300 percent from a year ago. Its related revenue soared 573 percent to CNY41.3 billion (USD5.7 billion).

Editor: Martin Kadiev