China’s ice and snow economy is thriving, turning its natural “cold resources” into a burgeoning “hot economy”. From expanding ski resorts to increasing visits by skiers, the rise of snow tourism is creating fresh opportunities for regions across the country as winter takes hold, amid strong support from government policies and infrastructure development. Wu Bin, Founder and CEO of Beijing Snowpal Enterprise Management Co, said: “The passion to experience and participate in skiing has surged, stimulating ice and snow tourism across the country.” The winter sports industry in the country saw a 16.3% increase in skier visits during the fiscal year ending on April 30, 2024, with 23.08 million visits recorded compared to 19.83 million in the previous year, according to the China Ski Industry White Book (2023-24) released in November. The number of individual skiers grew 14.5% to 12.8 million, and the per capita skiing frequency increased to 1.8 times from 1.77 times last year, according to the report, which has been compiled by Beijing Snowpal.
Supporting this growth has been a boom in the development of ski resorts. Li Xiangbao, Marketing Manager at Keketuohai International Ski Resort in Altay, Xinjiang, said the resort welcomed over 3,000 visitors within just 10 days of its opening. Since November, the daily average number of tourists has exceeded 2,000, with 90% traveling from other provinces, Li said. “On weekends, hotel rooms in the resort area are nearly fully booked. As winter deepens, tourist numbers continue to climb rapidly,” he said. This strong start exemplifies the booming growth of the country’s ice and snow economy, boosting confidence in the development and upgrade of ski resorts nationwide. Keketuohai International Ski Resort is planning extensive upgrades, including the renovation of 23 ski slopes with a combined sliding length of 61 kilometers, and the addition of ski-in, ski-out accommodations.
Other resorts are also expanding their offerings. Jilin’s Beidahu Ski Resort has added 100 snowmaking machines, increased its number of ski slopes from 64 to 74, expanded the slope area from 239 to 275 hectares, and increased its total hotel bed capacity to 9,000. In Chongli, Hebei province, ski resorts have undergone upgrades to cableways, safety nets, and other essential facilities. Some have introduced new attractions, including night skiing and snow amusement parks. According to the white paper, this snow season, 30 new ski resorts have opened across the country, evenly split between indoor and outdoor facilities. This has brought the total number of operational ski resorts to 719, an increase of 22 from the previous year. The number of resorts equipped with aerial ropeways – a key infrastructure for ski tourism – has risen by 10, reaching 176, said the report.
Indoor ski resorts have shown major growth. The country has added 15 new indoor ski resorts, while five were closed. With 60 operational indoor resorts, they now account for 8.34% of all ski resorts and attracted 4.88 million skier visits, a 33.7% year-on-year increase. The rise of snow tourism is particularly evident in regions like Jilin, Xinjiang, and Heilongjiang province, which have seen significant growth in skier visits. Jilin rose to the top spot among provinces for skier numbers, overtaking Hebei, while Heilongjiang recorded an 88.65% increase in visits – the highest nationwide. Xinjiang followed with a 56.48% rise, and Beijing, though dropping to fourth place, remains a key hub for winter sports enthusiasts.
The influx of visitors is transforming local economies. In the fourth quarter of 2023 alone, 19 national ski resorts recorded 9.43 million tourist visits, with average daily guest numbers approaching 500,000 for the first time. Revenue from these resorts soared, with average tourism income increasing 5.43 times year-on-year, according to Li Yu, Director of the Ice and Snow Industry Research Center of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research in China. Among the 719 operational resorts, 29 are classified as destination vacation resorts, known for their comprehensive offerings, including skiing, accommodation, and entertainment. These resorts attracted 6.6 million skier visits during the recent season, a 52.87% year-on-year increase.
By 2027, the total scale of the ice and snow economy will reach CNY1.2 trillion, and by 2030, this will increase to CNY1.5 trillion, the China Daily reports.
