Some 60 ice sculptors gathered in China's Ice City on Tuesday for an ice sculpting contest to mark the beginning of the annual Snow and Ice Festival.
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| Some 60 ice sculptors gathered in China's Ice City on Tuesday for an ice sculpting contest to mark the beginning of the annual Snow and Ice Festival. |
The competition helped showcase a series of ice sculptures to thousands of visitors from around the world, as Harbin prepares to host the "24th Winter Universiade" in February.
Visitors have been able to see huge ice buildings in different architectural styles from around the world, including giant pagodas and enormous ice Buddhas.
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| Some 60 ice sculptors gathered in China's Ice City on Tuesday for an ice sculpting contest to mark the beginning of the annual Snow and Ice Festival. |
Local residents are hoping the Ice Festival will attract more tourists to help improve the City's economy, amid the world's economic slowdown.
An estimated 800-thousand tourists, 90 per cent of them Chinese, are expected to visit the ice festival.
Local organizers are also trying to attract tourists from countries including Japan, South Korea, US, and some European countries.
A series of sports activities including an ice carving competition and snow carving will also be held during the festival.
