China National Tourism Administration requires that all the tourist cities should optimize their services and provide more personalized and internationalized assistance. Therefore, Harbin Tourism Administration has established consultation centers and hotel booking centers for FIT at the airport, railway station, piers and bus stations. The professionals and staff who can speak foreign languages will provide consultation services for the tourists and residents.
Signs and Codes for Public Information
We have set up all sorts of signs of public information in the tourist attractions, railway station, piers, airport and on the high-class roads in all directions. In the entrances and exits of the tourist attractions, maps and boards in Chinese and English are available. There are also conspicuous road signs in the city and introductory bulletins on the main street.
International Language Environment
The international Conference Center in Friendship Palace is equipped with DCN system made by Philips company, which can satisfy every demand of modern conferences and can be used for simultaneous translation. It has hosted 5 international conferences. In January 1998, '98 International Conference of Mayors in Northern Cities were held here. There were 400 participants, including over 20 mayors from 9 countries and over 10 mayors of China. Each delegate made a speech.
System of Public Service Facilities
There are 22,421 public telephones in Harbin, of which 6,713 are IC-card public telephones, 154 are magnetic-card telephones, 964 coin telephones, 467 mobile telephones and 600 telephone booths. IC-card telephones and telephone booths are distributed everywhere in the city.
Night Views of the City
The Central Pedestrian Street was built in 1898, and it is the largest and longest pedestrian street in Asia for the time being.
Saint Sophia Church is now the largest Orthodox Church in the Far East area, and it was first built in March, 1907.
After it is dark, people congregate here to enjoy ease and shopping at night.
The ice lamps give out attractive light in the night and the colorful lights look like fairy mountains, jade buildings, and luxurious crystal palaces in a dream or in the heaven.