With the proposition of the concept that “ice and snow are as valuable as gold and silver mountains,” the digital integration of ice and snow tourism has emerged as a new driver of economic growth. Nevertheless, challenges persist, including inadequate policy coordination and product homogenization, necessitating exploration into pathways for digital technology empowerment. Based on panel data from 30 provincial-level regions in China spanning 2015 to 2023, this study employs Baidu Index network attention as a core indicator and utilizes two-way fixed effects models and mediation effect models to systematically analyze the impact mechanism of digital technology on the economic development of ice and snow tourism. The findings reveal: First, digital technology significantly promotes the economic development of ice and snow tourism, with its impact coefficient being positively significant at the 1% level. Second, internet penetration rate plays a significant mediating role between digital technology and the economic development of ice and snow tourism. Third, regional heterogeneity analysis indicates that the positive impact of digital technology on the economic development of ice and snow tourism is most pronounced in the eastern region due to its robust technological infrastructure, while it exhibits a negative impact in the central region.