Inner Mongolia invites visitors to embrace the winter chill

Inner Mongolia autonomous region is inviting travelers to discover its snow-covered grasslands, winter festivals, ice sports and ethnic cultural experiences as it unveils a range of tourism offerings for the 2026-27 winter season.

The offerings were presented at a tourism promotion event in Beijing on Nov 6.

Organized by the region's culture and tourism department, the event aimed to strengthen tourism cooperation between Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei province and Inner Mongolia through joint marketing and the exchange of visitor resources.

Wang Ning, deputy director of the department, says the region will develop tourism products around five themes: ice and snow sightseeing, winter sports, ice and snow culture, ethnic folk customs and wellness tourism.

The season officially opened on Nov 7 in Genhe, Hulunbuir. Visitors can enjoy local folk performances and traditional songs and dances of the Ewenki ethnic group against a snow-covered backdrop.

On Dec 7, the 22nd Inner Mongolia Ice and Snow Naadam will open in Yakeshi, featuring cross-country skiing, winter motorsports, snowmobiling and bonfire gatherings.

Other destinations across the region are preparing their own seasonal attractions. In Hohhot, visitors can explore temple fairs, traditional crafts and local cuisine. Baotou offers views of ice floes on the Yellow River, while Hinggan League combines frozen rivers with hot springs.

In Tongliao, the Huuliin Gol Ice and Snow Carnival will feature off-road driving and ice fishing. Chifeng will showcase winter fishing at Dalai Lake, while Xiliin Gol League will host winter Mongolian horse competitions. Ulaanqab is promoting its volcanic landscapes against a snowy backdrop, and Ordos will stage ice and snow Naadam activities and themed performances.

The region is also developing themed travel routes to cater to different interests, including extended journeys across snowfields, skiing trips, volcanic landscape photography, food tours and wellness experiences combined with local folk culture.

Ski resorts in Arxan and Yakeshi are scheduled to open in November.

To encourage winter travel, the region will distribute 5 million yuan ($749,000) in cultural and tourism consumption vouchers to visitors nationwide starting Nov 7. The vouchers can be used for scenic-area admission, skiing and skating, and equipment rentals. They will be available through UnionPay's Cloud QuickPass, regional tourism mini-programs and Qunar.

The Beijing promotion also featured presentations by representatives from seven cities and leagues in Inner Mongolia, highlighting their winter attractions and tourism projects combining industrial facilities with travel experiences.

The event brought together tourism authorities, travel agencies, online travel platforms and media representatives from Beijing and neighboring regions to explore further cooperation in promoting winter tourism.