Indoor ice and snow tourism shines as a summer consumption highlight

Tourists go skiing at Alps Snow World in Taicang city, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

This summer, indoor ice and snow activities have become a new trend for tourists seeking to cool down. In addition to traditional summer attractions like water parks and beach resorts, many people are now heading to indoor ski resorts for a refreshing experience.

One of the biggest is Sunac Snow Park, which operates indoor ski resorts in eight cities across China, offering year-round ice and snow experiences. It has also launched various themed activities during the summer.

Tourists admire ice sculptures at Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

The Sunac Snow Park in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, offers free skiing for children under 12, providing all necessary equipment.

The Sunac Snow Park in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has night skiing classes and invites professionals from different industries to experience skiing for free.

Many tourists visit indoor ski resorts not only to escape the summer heat but also to learn how to ski.

Tourists glide down ice slides at the Sunac Snow Park in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"I had my first experience at the Sunac Snow Park for two hours, and the instructor was very encouraging, providing detailed guidance on everything from using the equipment to getting on the snowboard. I can now glide down the slopes," said a tourist from Hong Kong.

According to China's e-commerce platform Meituan, the search popularity of "skiing" has increased by 91 percent since July. The number of related travel guides and notes has also increased by 52 percent, and there has been a 120 percent increase in group buying orders for skiing-related attractions.

For those not interested in skiing, there are other indoor ice and snow attractions out there to beat the heat.

Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, has extended the fun of ice and snow from winter to summer. Its new indoor ice and snow theme park, the Fantasy Ice and Snow Pavilion, recently set a Guinness World Record for being the "largest indoor ice and snow theme park."

The Fantasy Ice and Snow Pavilion features nine themed areas and 13 experiential projects, showcasing stunning ice and snow sculptures. Visitors can also enjoy immersive experiences like projection shows and the ice music hall.

Tourists ski at night at the Sunac Snow Park in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Ice and snow tourism is thriving across the country, with indoor ice and snow activities during the summer catering to people's individual preferences and stimulating cultural and tourism consumption.

Han Yuanjun, a deputy researcher at the Strategic Research Institute of the China Tourism Academy, said that following the successful hosting of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu have improved their indoor ice and snow facilities.

The scorching summer weather has also contributed to the rise in popularity of indoor ice and snow tourism, which is expected to continue receiving support from investors, operators, and local governments, according to Han.