China's ice and snow economy is experiencing a notable boom this winter, driven by growing demand for winter sports, related entertainment events, and tourism.
As winter sets in, cities in north China's Inner Mongolia launched a series of exciting snow and ice events to draw in tourists and stimulate the local economy.
In Tongliao City, for example, an ice and snow carnival is taking place, with fun activities like tug-of-war and Mongolian-style wrestling matches on the snow, providing both participants and visitors with a thrilling and festive experience.
"The event offers many ice and snow activities, such as skiing, snowboat racing, and snow soccer. There are also many local specialties from Tongliao and creative cultural products. It's a good place for sightseeing and photography," said a visitor surnamed Zou.
In addition, Hulun Buir City has combined its winter entertainment events with local folk culture, making the events even more interesting. Visitors can enjoy not only traditional local activities, such as snow hockey and board games, but also unique experiences like horse riding on the snowy plains and immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere of Nadam, a traditional Mongolian festival.
"The grassland in Old Barag Banner (an area under the administration of Hulun Buir) is truly breathtaking. It is completely natural and absolutely stunning," said visitor named Zhiwei.
To further generate excitement and interest among the public for winter activities, Datong City in north China's Shanxi Province has recently hosted various winter sports events, drawing more than 400 athletes from across the country.
"I find skiing to be an exhilarating sport that can inspire people to strive for improvement and offers a sense of accomplishment," said Zha Aijia, a skiing enthusiast from a university in Beijing.
A total of 19 winter sports events, including skiing, skating, and curling, are scheduled for Datong's ice and snow season this year, which is expected to attract more tourists.
The popularity of the snow and ice economy is growing not only in northern China but also in southern cities.
In Chengdu City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, local businesses are creating new opportunities by integrating ice and snow sports with tourism service, educational research activities and related training courses, bringing new vitality to winter economy.
Currently, Chengdu has over 60 winter sports venues, with over 2 million people taking part in related activities.
"The number of customers has increased by almost 20 percent year on year," said Yu Ronghui, a director of an indoor ski park in Chengdu.
"We will give out 20 million yuan (about 2.7 million U.S. dollars) in vouchers for ice and snow activities during the seventh Sichuan Ice and Snow Season to further turn the ice and snow business into a thriving economy," said Yang Chao, director of the Cultural and Sports Service Center of Dujiangyan, a county-level city administered by Chengdu.
Ice-snow economy booms across China
