From last summer's "barbecue craze" that captivated millions of foodies descending on Zibo, an industrial city in Shandong province, to the current winter ice-and-snow boom in Harbin, sincerity has consistently stood out as a crucial calling card, with social media remaining a primary driving force behind contemporary travel trends.

Breathing new life into this so-called "Harbin phenomenon" are cultural and tourism authorities from other Chinese cities, who have been busy using social media to their advantage to engage with visitors.