Yingkou enhances its wintertime appeal
Yingkou has launched new winter travel routes to woo travelers who hope to enjoy the best of the season. The itineraries feature seafood, skiing and hot springs.
The city in Northeast China’s Liaoning province abounds in mountains, rivers and forests.
Banyuetan, a biweekly magazine published by Xinhua News Agency, honored it among China’s most charming and livable tourism cities in 2016. The China International Leisure Development Forum named it among the top 10 cities for leisure in 2017.
Yingkou has continued to receive growing numbers of visitors, especially from Beijing. Increased flights, highspeed rail links and the growing popularity of driving trips have contributed to the increase, vice-mayor Wang Xiaoliu says.
The city is expected to rake in 23.5 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) in tourism income this year, 12 percent more than last year.
Yingkou is actively developing coastal and hot spring experiences, Wang says.
It also proffers health-andwellness experiences, says Wang Xiaojiang, deputy director of the Liaoning provincial tourism authority.
The city’s hot spring facilities can receive 10 million people per year at full capacity.
Some major resorts, such as Baishawan, have seen the daily visitor numbers exceed 300,000.
Xiongyue’s hot springs have been popular among locals since the Tang Dynasty (618907). Tianmu Resort offers more than 60 pools of different temperatures arranged according to classical Chinese garden design. Hongyun House offers private Japanesestyle hot spring experiences.
Many visitors soak in the springs after skiing, especially during the annual ski festival, which Yingkou plays host to.
Hejiagou and Hongxigu ski resorts are among the area’s most popular. Both are tucked in a valley.
Hongxigu covers an area of 16,000 square meters and has a variety of courses for skiers of all levels. Professional trainers offer guidance.
The resort also offers snow soccer, snowmobiling and horse-drawn sleigh rides.
Visitors also enjoy the 150year-old Liaohe Street, which offers not only skiing but also local snacks, fireworks and art performances. It recently received a record of 100,000 visitors in one day.
Seafood is another draw. Visitors relish local crab, shrimp and mackerel at seafood restaurants such as Chunhua and Jinyutong.
Indeed, the new routes seem set to show even more of what makes winter wonderful in Yingkou.