Famed as the home of "ice and snow tourism", the Heilongjiang province on the China-Russia border is now a popular summer retreat for Russian tourists seeking relief from the heat.

Around 445,200 foreign tourists, including 353,600 Russians, descended on the province in the first half of 2006, generating some 179 million US dollars in revenue.

Visitors from other neighboring countries like Japan and South Korea are also lured by Heilongjiang's cool climate and scenic waterways.

(CRIENGLISH.com August 14, 2006)