A new ski season has kicked off across northern China as the first round of winter snowfall has prompted numerous ski resorts to open up to enthusiasts as related businesses begin to brace for their busy spell.
The popular resort town of Chongli in Zhangjiakou City of north China's Hebei Province, which hosted several events during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has burst into life after the area recently experienced its first widespread snowfall of this winter season.
Many of those who have taken an early opportunity to hit the slopes say they are delighted to enjoy the spectacular scenery and world-class facilities.
"The scenery is spectacular. We can take beautiful pictures. It's like a fairyland here," said Kai Kai, a skier.
"The snowfall has been very heavy these past two days, carpeting the ski slopes with powdery snow. It feels so good to rush down the slope," said Zhou Hanzi, another skier.
At the Wanlong Ski Resort in Chongli, a coffee shop is serving coffee in fresh bell peppers, which has become a must-try for the skiers.
Anticipating a wave of visitors in the coming weeks and months, a coffee shop at the Wanlong Ski Resort in Chongli has been looking to entice customers by serving up coffee in fresh bell peppers, a novel concept which has become a must-try for skiers so far.
Almost four years on from the Winter Olympics, Chongli is now home to nine large ski resorts with 219 slopes, all of which are expected to be fully open by late November.
Meanwhile, several thousand kilometers away, the Jikepulin International Ski Resort in the Altay Prefecture of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region also opened four ski slopes on Monday, drawing thousands of skiers from various regions to enjoy snow sports against the magnificent mountain backdrop of the Kanas scenic area.
The ski resort also staged a series of folk music and dance performances to celebrate the beginning of the new ski season, welcoming the winter in style.
China has seen huge growth in the popularity of snow and ice sports since staging the 2022 Winter Olympics, with over 300 million people having engaged in winter sports and related leisure activities across the country since the Games.
Data from a report which was unveiled at the World Winter Sports Expo in Beijing last month showed that during the 2024-25 winter season, China recorded 187.5 billion yuan in revenue from public consumption of winter sports and relevant leisure activities, marking a year-on-year growth of 25 percent.
Ski resorts in China usher in new season as first snowfall hits
