As ski season approaches, China’s northern regions pin hope on winter tourism frenzy

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 6, 2024, shows tourists skiing at a ski resort in Shuihou Township of Qianshan City, east China's Anhui Province. The tourist service of Shuihou Township at the foot of Tianzhu Mountain used to be limited to pure sightseeing in the mountainous areas. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Industry experts suggested that the tourism offerings are expected to drive growth in winter sports market sales.

During this year's "Double Eleven," Bonski launched new packages starting at 499 yuan, including hotel stay and ski ticket pass redeemable in eight cities nationwide. To date, transaction volume on its Fliggy flagship store increased by over 30 percent compared to a year ago, according to data from travel platform Fliggy sent to the Global Times.

Many renowned ski resorts have launched hotel and skiing packages featuring flexible accommodation options, allowing guests to customize their length of stay. Some popular packages on Fliggy reported reservation rates exceeding 40 percent.

In addition, various regions are launching ice and snow tourism products that combine cultural and recreational elements. For instance, Zalantun city in Inner Mongolia kicked off an ice and snow carnival on Sunday.

This winter, five cities in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region will host over 120 cultural and tourism events, with special discounts on activities such as ice and snow sports, folk traditions, wine tastings, gourmet food, and live performances, People's Daily reported on Saturday.

Notably, the ice and snow industry has received a significant policy boost. On November 6, China issued guidelines to promote the development of the ice and snow economy.

The guidelines aim to establish China's ice and snow economy as a major growth driver, with a targeted market scale of 1.2 trillion yuan ($167 billion) by 2027, according to the General Office of the State Council.

By 2030, the core sectors of the ice and snow economy are anticipated to achieve high-level coordinated integration, making ice and snow consumption a significant driver of the economy, with the total market scale projected to reach 1.5 trillion yuan.

"A new market and business model are emerging. Skiing, once primarily seen as a sport or fitness activity, has become a vacation experience, demanding a wider array of support services, including facilities, gear, and ample accommodation," Zhang Lingyun, executive editor-in-chief of Tourism Tribune, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The market for the equipment will grow too, with rising market demand for outdoor apparel, ski gear, sports drinks, and food supplies, Zhang added.

He noted that market demand is rising fast. When utilized effectively, ice and snow resources can yield significant economic benefits — not just as tourist attractions, but as economic assets that can stimulate an extended value chain, including tourism services, road infrastructure, and more.

During the 2023-2024 snow season, China's ice and snow tourism saw a 38-percent year-on-year growth in visitor numbers and a 50-percent rise in revenue. Online travel data showed a 132.5-percent growth in total spending on ice and snow tourism compared to the 2019-2020 season, according to a press conference held by the General Office of the State Council on September 6.