The curtain rose this month on the 2007 China Changchun Ice and Snow Tourism Festival and Jingyuetan Vasaloppet International Skiing Festival in Changchun, a "cool" Chinese provincial capital city.

It is the first large-scale international mass tourism celebration in the capital of Northeast China's Jilin Province in 2007, co-sponsored by the Changchun City People's Government, China Ski Association, Tourism Bureau of Jilin and Nordic Ways International AB.

"We strive to provide visitors from all over the world with an excellent ice and snow cultural feast combining ice and snow tourism, sports, and related art and culture," said Liu Shi, vice-major of Changchun, at the opening ceremony early this month in the city's Jingyuetan National Forest Park, a snow-white covered world with delightful scenery.

With the theme of "touching the ice and snow of Asian Winter Games, and experiencing the passion of Vassaloppet," the festival will last 94 days with about 35 large-scale serial activities to display Changchun's ice and snow culture, folk customs of Northeast China and the spirit of Vasaloppet.

These activities include the China Vasaloppet serial ski competitions, a seminar on ice and snow tourism, investment promotion fairs, and many mass sports campaigns.

Meanwhile, various exciting and challenging ice and snow entertainment activities are also held in Nanhu Ice and Snow Carnival Amusement Park, Jingyuetan Vasaloppet Ice and Snow Amusement Park and Changchun Lianhuashan Skiing Resort.

Unique characteristics

Initiated in 1998, the Changchun Ice and Snow Tourism Festival, joining hands with the Vasaloppet Sweden Skiing Competition in 2003, is the first ice and snow festival in the country to combine the sports with ice and snow tourism.

After nine years of development, the brand of Changchun Ice and Snow Tourism Festival has been gradually established, enjoying a refined reputation both at home and abroad.

The festival witnessed noted competitions in past sessions, such as the Volvo Ski Sprint and ISF Far East Cup, Vasaloppet China 50-kilometer and ISF Long-Distance Competition and 16.7-kilometer Vasaloppet, Academician Skiing Competition, Students Open Team Skiing Competition, Amateur Athletes Cross-Country Skiing and Vasaloppet "Family Fun" Skiing Competition.

This year, more nationally and internationally top-class cross-country skiing competitions are being introduced, including the China Cross-Country Skiing Championship, World Ski Sprint and World Cup Cross-Country Skiing, Men's 15-kilometer and Women's 10-kilometer.

"Sparked by the festival and Asian Winter Games, the leading Asian sports event, scheduled from January 28 to February 4, we will not only capitalize on the opportunity to develop ice and snow tourism but also strive to present the broad spectrum of Changchun," Liu said.

The Movie Amusement Park, the only movie theme park in China, the famous International Sculpture Park and the Puppet Manchurian Palace would welcome tourists from around the world.

Festival drives economy

According to the organizers, more than 1,000 athletes from 25 countries and regions will participate in the Vasaloppet China skiing competition.

"The festival and Asian Winter Games also drive economic development in the city," the vice-major said.

More than 200 tourism business delegates from the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Taiwan Province and several mainland cities will exchange ideas about ice and snow tourism during the festival.

About 300 businesspeople from China, the United States, Sweden, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Indonesia will come to Changchun to attend investment promotion fairs.