A popular tourist village in China has issued an apology after being caught using cotton wool and soapy water to create fake snow, deceiving visitors who had hoped for a real winter wonderland. This was reported by SkyNews.
Chengdu Snow Village, located in Sichuan’s capital city, Chengdu, faced backlash after misleading social media posts showed artificial snow covering houses and the ground during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Unusually warm temperatures had prevented natural snowfall, prompting the village to take drastic measures to maintain its wintery appeal.
However, visitors quickly noticed something was off. Images circulating online showed large sheets of cotton wool haphazardly scattered, sparking outrage and mockery.
“A snow village without snow,” one user sarcastically commented.
After facing widespread criticism, the village issued a statement on Wechat, admitting to buying cotton to simulate snow but acknowledging that it failed to achieve the expected effect and left a bad impression on tourists.
“We deeply apologize,” the statement read, adding that refunds would be provided to affected visitors. The synthetic snow has since been removed from the site.
China’s weather bureau has warned that the country is experiencing hotter, longer heat waves and more unpredictable heavy rain due to climate change. This winter’s unusually warm temperatures in Chengdu reflect a broader trend affecting traditional winter tourism across China.
