‘Nihao! China’ Winter Tourism campaign launched (Pics)

2026-02-09 - 02:39

The “Nihao! China” Winter Tourism Promotion, an initiative designed to showcase the unique and breathtaking winter landscapes of China to the Sri Lankan travel market, was launched in Colombo on Feb. 06. The event was hosted by China Cultural Center in Sri Lanka, with Bank of China serving as the Strategic Partner and Air China, China Eastern Air, UnionPay International and TAASL coming in as co-hosts. The campaign specifically focused on the rich tourism resources of Northeast China, including the Jilin, Liaoning, and Heilongjiang provinces. Air China and China Eastern Airlines introduced their convenient flight routes and winter products while UnionPay International shared the latest initiatives on facilitating inbound payments. In addition, Sri Lankan travel agents also shared their firsthand experiences from FAM (familiarization) trips to China and the 2025 China International Travel Mart (CITM). As tourism recovery gains momentum in 2026, this promotion highlights the vast potential for cooperation between China and Sri Lanka. While Sri Lanka is celebrated for its tropical beauty, China offers a contrasting “Ice and Snow Wonders” experience that includes winter sports, hot spring resorts, and vibrant seasonal festivals. Addressing the event, Mr. Li Nisheng, Director of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Colombo said that “According to the latest China Ice and Snow Economy Development Report (2025), the scale of China’s ice and snow industry is estimated to have surpassed the one-trillion-yuan mark.” “During the 2024-2025 winter season, spending on ice and snow sports and related consumption exceeded 187.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of over 25%. This demonstrates that the “ice and snow economy” has become a powerful growth engine for the Chinese tourism market,” he added. “China and Sri Lanka share a long-standing friendship, and cultural tourism exchange serves as a vital bridge for enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between our peoples. As a key country along the “Belt and Road” and often hailed as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean,” Sri Lanka’s tourism resources are highly complementary to China’s long history, brilliant culture, and diverse modern attractions,” he further noted. Vice President of the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka – Ms. Chamila Wijethunge said : “Sri Lanka and China share a longstanding friendship built on mutual respect, cultural exchange and people to people connectivity, Tourism has always been a powerful bridge between our countries and events such as this play a crucial role in deepening that connection.” Meanwhile, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau – Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam urged Chinese authorities to reconsider visa policies to enable Sri Lankan tourists to enter China with more ease. He also pointed out that 132,000 Chinese tourists travelled to Sri Lanka last year.