Southeast Asian tourists flock north, fueling China's ice-snow economy boom

HARBIN, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Despite the biting minus 20 degrees Celsius cold on the century-old Central Street in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Thai tourist Nattapong Somchai stamped his feet to keep warm yet happily embraced a local tradition by trying a classic ice cream bar.

"This is absolutely amazing," he said with unconcealed excitement. "There are not only exquisite ice sculptures but al