A tourist site in China has issued an apology and temporarily closed after it was exposed for using cotton and soapy water to simulate snowfall, sparking outrage among visitors.
Chengdu Snow Village, a newly launched attraction in Sichuan province, attempted to create a winter scene despite the lack of actual snow. However, the illusion quickly unraveled when visitors realized that the "snow" covering trees and rooftops was fake.
Tourists took to social media to voice their disappointment. One visitor, feeling deceived, said in a viral video, "I came for snow, not cotton!" Others accused the attraction of false advertising, criticizing the effort as a misleading gimmick.
A spokesperson for the site admitted that they had resorted to artificial materials after snowfall failed to arrive as expected. The attraction had been heavily marketed with the assumption of natural snow, but unpredictable weather forced them to improvise.
Following the backlash, Chengdu Snow Village swiftly removed the fake snow and announced a temporary closure, citing the overwhelming negative response.
"We sincerely apologise for failing to deliver a real snow experience and for disrupting visitors' travel plans," the management stated in an apology.
Source: South China Morning Post
