By LI Rujia

In a surge of enthusiasm, outdoor skiing resorts nationwide have commenced their seasonal openings. With notable increases in popularity and bookings, skiing and other winter activities are experiencing a widespread boom.

Over the past week, online interest in skiing has doubled. Major ski resorts are deluged with reservations. Other winter experiences such as hiking, snowfield hot pot, and ice fishing are viral.

Winter sports have been on a steady rise in recent years, with residents from lower-tier cities joining the ranks of skiing enthusiasts.

Northern regions remain the center of skiing. Early-opening resorts in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces, continue to capture the attention of winter sports enthusiasts. Zhangjiakou, the host city of the Beijing Winter Olympics skiing events, has seen a nearly tenfold rise in hotel bookings.

The southern regions, with less snowfall, are witnessing a surge in interest in skiing as well. Apart from traveling to northern for outdoor skiing, the construction of indoor skiing resorts in the south has made skiing accessible to locals. Venues in Guangzhou, Chongqing, and Kunming are flourishing, with a 1.5-fold increase in ticket sales.

The Yangtze River Delta is emerging as a hub for ski enthusiasts, with Tonglu Shengxianli International Ski Resort, Daming Mountain Scenic Area, and Wuxi Rongchuang Snow World ranking among the most popular winter destinations.

Zhejiang, having invested in numerous indoor skiing venues, has witnessed a sevenfold increase in skiing tourism.

Adding to the excitement, a new large ski resort in the Yangtze River Delta region, the Alpine International Resort in Taicang near Shanghai, developed by Fosun Travel and Culture, recently opened its doors. Featuring one of the largest indoor ice and snow venues in China, the resort offers a variety of winter experiences, blending sports, leisure, dining, shopping, camps, and art exhibitions.

Skiing has transitioned from a niche sport to a common daily activity nationwide. Both entry-level and advanced users are showing an increased demand for skiing coaches and advanced teaching. For advanced users, Northeast China, Xinjiang, and even foreign ski resorts have become popular.

As the 2023-2024 ski season unfolds, being the first season post-pandemic, travel agencies and ski clubs anticipate higher standards from ski resorts.