This article is republished from アジア財経観察
Ten tourism organisations sign agreements as Jilin seeks Hong Kong investment in travel, events and the ice-and-snow economy
By Lu Ye and Lin Kai in Hong Kong
Jilin and Hong Kong are expanding cooperation in winter tourism, cultural products and major sporting events as preparations accelerate for the 2027 Changchun Winter Universiade.
Ten tourism companies and industry associations from the two regions signed cooperation agreements at a tourism promotion event in Hong Kong. Their plans cover visitor exchanges, joint travel routes, destination marketing and cultural product development.
The Jilin delegation also presented preparations for the 33rd Winter World University Games, inviting Hong Kong businesses to participate in sponsorship, event operations, winter equipment and licensed merchandise.
Ten tourism organisations sign agreements
Participating organisations from Hong Kong included the Hong Kong China Tourism Association, Taste of Hong Kong High-Speed Rail Tours International Group, Hong Kong Style Travel, Hong Kong Fujian Railway Travel and Hong Kong Shangxin Travel.
The Jilin participants included the Jilin Tourism Association, Yanbian Huaxin International Travel Service, Changbai Mountain Yiyou Tourism Services, Jilin Zhongjing Cultural International Tourism and Jilin Scenery International Travel Service.
The agreements are intended to help the two sides jointly design travel products, exchange visitors and promote Jilin destinations in Hong Kong and overseas markets.
Jilin promotes year-round tourism
Jilin is located in one of the world’s recognised premium snow regions. The province has 68 ski resorts and five national-level ski tourism destinations.
Qiu Jiang, chairman of the Jilin Overseas Friendship Association, said the province offers more than winter sports. Its tourism resources include Changbai Mountain, border landscapes, ethnic Korean culture, local cuisine and summer destinations with cooler temperatures.
Jilin hopes to turn these resources into year-round international travel products by working with Hong Kong’s tourism industry.
Hong Kong Tourism Commissioner Angelina Cheung said Jilin’s cool summers and winter snow complement Hong Kong’s tourism market.
Direct flights between Changchun and Hong Kong currently operate twice a week, providing a foundation for travel agencies to develop new routes.
Hong Kong connects Jilin with overseas visitors
Hong Kong received 49.9 million visitors in 2025. In the first seven months of 2026, arrivals reached approximately 31.22 million, up about 11% year on year.
Around one-fifth of non-mainland visitors travelling through Hong Kong continue to destinations in mainland China.
Cheung said Hong Kong could act as a “super connector,” helping Jilin reach travellers in the Greater Bay Area and international markets.
Ma Yuwen, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong China Tourism Association, said Jilin’s natural scenery, snow resources and cultural heritage give it the foundations for competitive tourism products.
Hong Kong, meanwhile, can contribute international sales channels, mature travel services and experience in destination marketing.
Hong Kong agencies explore new Jilin routes
The promotional event prompted several Hong Kong travel agencies to consider entering the Northeast China tourism market.
Chen Xiuying, head of a Hong Kong travel company, said her agency’s northern China routes previously extended only as far as Hebei Province.
After attending the event, she saw greater potential in Jilin’s snow tourism, border scenery, ethnic Korean culture, cuisine and Changbai Mountain.
Her company plans to begin designing Jilin itineraries and hopes to organise an initial Hong Kong tour group to the province.
Cultural products seek international audiences
Jilin also presented intangible cultural heritage and creative products, including traditional herbal preparation techniques, horsehead fiddles, fish-skin paintings and ginseng-themed merchandise.
Jilin Future Cultural and Creative Group introduced “Ginseng Fairy,” a cartoon character inspired by Jilin ginseng, along with a series of collectible products.
The products combine traditional crochet techniques with the contemporary blind-box model. Around 2,000 women across Jilin are involved in production, each earning approximately RMB2,000 in additional monthly income.
Company chairwoman Shi Shuang said Hong Kong has extensive experience in modernising traditional cultural intellectual property, building brands and reaching international consumers.
Jilin, in turn, offers distinctive regional culture and local production capacity. The company has also visited Hong Kong Polytechnic University to explore cooperation in product design and intellectual property development.
Changchun 2027 enters final preparations
The Jilin delegation also promoted the 2027 Changchun Winter Universiade, officially the 33rd Winter World University Games.
The event is expected to include 12 sports and 97 medal events, with competitions divided between the main Changchun competition zone and a secondary zone in Jilin City.
More than 50 countries and regions have expressed an intention to participate. Organisers expect approximately 2,000 university athletes from over 50 countries and regions.
With fewer than 200 days remaining before the opening, preparations have entered their final stage.
Li Rui, deputy director of the Games’ executive committee office, said the event would serve not only as an international sports competition but also as a catalyst for Jilin’s ice-and-snow economy.
The Games are expected to support the development of winter equipment, tourism, event operations and related services while giving Jilin’s ski resorts and winter destinations greater international exposure.
Hong Kong businesses invited to participate
Jilin is seeking Hong Kong participation in event sponsorship, commercial development, winter equipment, brand operations and licensed merchandise.
Organisers are also exploring the possibility of opening official Changchun 2027 merchandise outlets in Hong Kong.
Li said Hong Kong’s international business network and experience in capital and brand management could complement Jilin’s manufacturing and winter tourism industries.
“We hope to bring Changchun’s ice-and-snow economy to global markets through Hong Kong’s international platform,” she said. “At the same time, we want more Hong Kong companies to understand Changchun and invest in its future.”
The cooperation now extends beyond destination promotion. From travel routes and cultural products to major-event investment, Jilin and Hong Kong are developing more concrete links between tourism, sports and business.
