China-Austria winter carnival kicks off in Shanxi

The 2nd China-Austria Ice and Snow Culture Carnival kicks off on Tuesday in Lingchuan county, Jincheng, Shanxi province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 2nd China-Austria Ice and Snow Culture Carnival kicked off on Tuesday in Lingchuan county, Jincheng, Shanxi province, tapping into the growing enthusiasm for winter sports.

Julian Gale, a senior official from Klagenfurt, Austria, praised the event as a spectacular experience and emphasized its role in strengthening exchanges between different cultures.

Gale also highlighted the consistently positive impact of bilateral cooperation in sports, culture, and the economy, affirming that Klagenfurt will continue to deepen collaboration with Shanxi.

Located at the southern end of the Taihang Mountains, Lingchuan boasts a unique climate and ample ecological resources, making it an ideal winter destination for ice-snow recreation and health and wellness.

Cooperation between Lingchuan and the Austrian province of Carinthia has deepened in recent year. In 2024, Lingchuan established sister-city ties with Feistritz an der Gail and co-hosted the first Ice and Snow Culture Carnival in 2025.

The 2nd China-Austria Ice and Snow Culture Carnival kicks off on Tuesday in Lingchuan county, Jincheng, Shanxi province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Friedrich Alois Lienz, a former Austrian national team skier, visited China for the first time and taught skiing techniques to local primary school students during the event. He remarked that such activities greatly enhance friendly exchanges between China and Austria.

The two-month carnival features six winter tourism routes tailored to Lingchuan's seasonal highlights, the distribution of local scenic spots, and market demand for tourism products.

"The ice-and-snow economy represents a new growth driver for Lingchuan's high-quality development, and cooperation with Carinthia serves as a vital link in our opening-up strategy," said Wang Li, head of the county. She added that the county will leverage the carnival as a starting point to amplify its advantages in winter resources and promote the internationalization, branding, and integrated development of its ice-and-snow economy.

The county is planning to launch a voucher program totaling 5 million yuan ($716,000) to boost winter tourism. It will gather local delicacies and organize public skiing competitions, primary and secondary school skiing contests, and winter camps, all designed to fuel winter cultural and tourism consumption.