"Snow and ice" economy booming in Swiss town of Zermatt and China's Jilin

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows people skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

As winter falls, the Swiss town of Zermatt and China's Jilin entered their peak season for tourists.

Thanks to the landscape that overlooked by the Matterhorn Mountain, one of the natural symbols of Switzerland in the Alps, Zermatt attracts masses of worldwide winter-lovers. Based on winter activities, a full chain of tourism industry has been built in Zermatt, including catering, shopping, hiking, accommodations and so on. The "snow and ice" economy created huge profit for local people.

Located at similar degrees in terms of the north latitude, northeast China's Jilin Province is also endowed with excellent natural conditions for developing the "snow and ice" economy. Heavy snowfall, good snow quality, long snow season, and beautiful scenery make the Changbai Mountains home to many popular ski resorts in Jilin. In recent years, more and more tourists flock here every winter to experience local food, to see the rime scenery, and to ski on the beloved powder snow. Business related with snow and ice has become the new engine for boosting local economy.

A report released by the China Tourism Academy predicts that China's ice and snow leisure sites will receive over 520 million visits with revenue surpassing 720 billion yuan during the 2024-2025 period.

From the Alps to Changbai Mountains, it is the booming "snow and ice" economy that connects people, creates business opportunities and makes a green way of development a reality in both regions.

This photo taken on Nov. 18, 2023 shows people posing for photos at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows a cable car station and a hotel restaurant in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Dec. 5, 2023 shows staff members distributing winter sports equipment at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

　　This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows chalets in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows cable cars in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Nov. 18, 2023 shows people posing for photos at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

　　This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows chalets in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Nov. 24, 2023 shows people enjoying winter sports at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Nov. 25, 2023 shows people enjoying winter sports at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 14, 2023 shows people shopping for winter sports equipment at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 14, 2023 shows people enjoying winter sports at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Nov. 25, 2023 shows people enjoying winter sports at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 15, 2023 shows visitors at the 7th Jilin International Ice and Snow Tourism Industry Expo in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Zhang Nan)

This photo taken on Nov. 24, 2023 shows people enjoying winter sports at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows a customer shopping at a winter sports equipment store in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows a catering area at Riffelberg in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows people getting on a train in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Dec. 9, 2023 shows children sitting in front of the Matterhorn Museum in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Nov. 24, 2023 shows people enjoying winter sports at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Nov. 25, 2023 shows people enjoying winter sports at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Nov. 29, 2023 shows Yolinde Magill (C), a professional ski instructor from Cardrona, New Zealand, warms up with Chinese skiers at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Yan Linyun)

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 29, 2023, shows skiers practicing at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Yan Linyun)

This aerial photo taken on Dec. 14, 2023 shows Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 14, 2023 shows skiers walking at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 5, 2023 shows children learning to ski at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows a person skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows people walking on a street in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)

This photo taken on Dec. 14, 2023 shows people posing for photos at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Nov. 24, 2023 shows people enjoying winter sports at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinua/Xu Chang)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2023 shows the Matterhorn Mountain in Zermatt, Switzerland. (Xinua/Lian Yi)