China News Service, Beijing, February 4th: The popularity of ice and snow sports has soared, and China’s winter economic heat is boiling.
China News Service reporter Chen Hang
Wearing ski clothes, snowboards on his feet, and ski poles in his hands, Beijing citizen Wu Yuxun was galloping on the snowy slopes. For the 27-year-old, the fun of winter is hidden in the ice and snow.
In the past, people participating in ice and snow sports in China were mainly concentrated in some regions such as Northeast, North and Northwest China. With the successful hosting of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics, "regional ice and snow" has become "national ice and snow", and ice and snow sports have also moved from "niche" to "mass".
On the evening of December 12, 2023, ski enthusiasts experienced night skiing at Fulong Ski Resort, Chongli District, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province. Photo by China News Service reporter Jia Tianyong
From his first skiing experience in elementary school to systematic skiing training in college, Wu Yuhun gradually experienced the thrill of speed, the beauty of ice and snow, and the joy of being close to nature on the road to improving his skiing postures and skills, and became a loyal skier. "Snow powder".
"Skiing is a sport that challenges oneself and enjoys winter. Jumping down the snow track and breathing the cool air in nature, I will forget my worries." Every ski season, Wu Yuhun always meets up with friends to keep up with each other. Check in regularly for snowing three to four times a month.
More and more young people are falling in love with skiing. The "China Ice and Snow Industry Development Research Report (2023)" released at the 2023 International Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo shows that in the 2022-2023 snow season, China's ice and snow sports groups are dominated by young people, with the proportion of ice and snow sports enthusiasts aged 27 to 39 years old 58.4%.
On January 14, in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, children practiced skiing at the Rexue Miracle Indoor Ski Resort and felt the charm of ice and snow sports. Photo by China News Service reporter Chen Jimin
Faced with the surge in popularity of ice and snow sports, many ski resorts continue to optimize supporting facilities and services to allow ski enthusiasts to enjoy a better skiing experience.
Vanke Shijinglong Ski Resort in Yanqing, Beijing, will have its first ski on November 18, 2023. “This snow season, most of the snow lovers are from the Beijing area, and there are also snow lovers from Guangdong, Guangxi and other southern regions who come here to experience it.” Yang Lijuan, marketing director of the ski resort, said that after the winter vacation of primary and secondary schools started in January this year, 7-year-old skiers came to ski The number of adolescents aged 14 to 14 increased significantly.
Yang Lijuan said that in addition to opening direct trains from multiple points in Beijing to the ski resort every day, the ski resort also launched winter camp products for teenagers and children, opened exclusive camp teaching areas, and introduced many brand merchants to create food, accommodation , play one-stop service.
As the third area in Beijing to be awarded the title of "Olympic", the Yanqing Olympic Park has an alpine downhill Winter Olympics track with a maximum slope of nearly 70%, more than 14 kilometers of ultra-long ski trails from the top of the mountain to the Winter Olympics Village, and a public experience area.
Data released by Beijing Enterprises Group shows that since the park launched a series of "free admission" preferential measures on December 18, 2023, as of January 31 this year, it has received a total of approximately 86,700 ski tourists, a year-on-year increase of 104%.
The popularity of ice and snow sports has driven the sales of ski equipment. A set of ski equipment mainly includes clothing accessories such as ski suits, quick-drying suits, ski socks, and gloves, safety equipment such as snow goggles, helmets, and protective gear, and large equipment such as snowboards, bindings, and snowshoes.
"We have opened Overide ski stores in ski resorts in Beijing, Zhangjiakou, Hebei, Jilin, Xinjiang and other places. More than 90% of the products in the stores are independently developed, including snowboards, protective gear, snowshoes, snow goggles and other products." Beijing. Li Yao, founder of Snow Owl Technology Co., Ltd., said that since entering the 2023-2024 snow season, the overall sales of ski equipment products have increased significantly compared with the same period last year.
"China's ice and snow industry has entered a golden age, and I am full of confidence in the future." Li Yao said that the government attaches great importance to the development of the ice and snow industry, and policy dividends will promote the stable and healthy development of ice and snow sports. At the same time, young consumers gradually regard skiing as a fashionable and healthy lifestyle and social way, bringing new driving forces to the ski market. (over)