Incredible!Besides the exhibitions, these supporting events at the Winter Expo are not to be missed

      On October 17, the 2019 International Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo (hereinafter referred to as the Winter Expo) opened at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. On that day, over ten themed exhibition areas—including the Olympic-themed exhibition area, national group displays, winter and alpine technology, indoor snow and ice technology, outdoor and personal equipment, winter tourism destinations, provincial and municipal group displays and winter sports culture, ice and snow incubation, ice and snow in schools, media exhibition areas, and the public snow and ice carnival—immersed every visitor in a world of ice and snow.

      At the same time, a variety of exciting and informative supporting events were also launched one after another, including the International Ice and Snow Think Tank, the China-Finland Winter Sports Year series of activities, the Ice and Snow Industry Research Report, the WS TOPS Ice and Snow Industry Conference, the Ice and Snow Entrepreneurship Competition, the Personal Equipment Show for Winter Sports, the 2019 Ice and Snow Sports Industry Awards, the Ice and Snow Experts Talk, youth ice and snow experiences, and the Public Snow and Ice Carnival. These events are especially not to be missed for professionals in the ice and snow industry and enthusiasts of winter sports.

      The guest country of this year’s Winter Expo was Finland. As a traditional powerhouse in winter sports, Finland not only boasts abundant ice and snow resources but also has a long history in the development of the winter sports industry. It leads the world in areas such as winter sports and education training, the design and construction of sports venues and facilities, the manufacturing of ice and snow products and equipment, and ice and snow technology research and development.

      During this year’s Winter Expo, leveraging its role as the guest country, Finland organized a series of events including Finnish Day, the China-Finland Hockey Forum, ice and snow resource promotions, matchmaking with quality enterprises, key project signings, city exchange meetings, and the promotion of premium winter tourism projects. These activities provided a platform for high-quality business cooperation and key project signings between Chinese and Finnish companies, allowing Chinese ice and snow enthusiasts to better understand Finland’s ice and snow resources and top-tier winter tourism offerings.

      Finnish Ambassador to China, Tomi Kuusela, stated that he hopes to fully integrate ice and snow education, culture, and sports, engage in commercial cooperation with China in the ice and snow industry, and promote the sustainable development of the sector.

      Peng Weiyong, Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Affairs of the General Administration of Sport of China, said that Finland has abundant ice and snow resources, mature operational models, and rich management experience. In contrast, China’s winter sports industry is just getting started, but it has vast market potential, rapid development, and promising future prospects. The two countries’ winter sports industries are highly complementary, offering great potential for collaboration.

      A ski resort manager on-site commented that Finland excels in ski resort construction, event operations, and service experiences. For example, Finnish ski resorts feature family beginner zones where children and parents can ski together, as well as adventure parks incorporating fun elements like elk and tunnels to spark interest in skiing. “This kind of refined operational management experience is very much worth learning from.”

      Currently, driven by the enthusiasm surrounding the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, China’s ice and snow industry has become a new hotspot. Especially under the impetus of the “300 million people on snow and ice” goal, a large number of startups have emerged, covering fields ranging from skill training and online information services to equipment sales, indoor snow center operations, and winter sports event management—encompassing the entire ice and snow industry chain.

      To help these fledgling ice and snow businesses innovate their service models and seize the opportunities of industry growth, this year’s Winter Expo included events such as the Ice and Snow Entrepreneurship Competition, providing a platform for international exchange and cooperation and helping these companies connect with investors.

      According to Xu Zhou, President of IDG Asia: “Many ice and snow startup projects secured more investment and established broader domestic and international cooperation networks through the Winter Expo Entrepreneurship Competition. The IDG Ice and Snow Incubator aims to provide comprehensive services for entrepreneurs in the ice and snow industry, including investment and financing, market access, incubation, and accelerated growth.”

      At the Ice and Snow Entrepreneurship Competition, an entrepreneur in the skill training field shared that he had engaged with multiple investment institutions, several of which showed strong interest in his project. “We will conduct further discussions and hope to reach a final cooperation.”

      The 2019 4th WSTOPS Winter Top Awards Ceremony and China Ice and Snow Industry Conference, along with the 2019 Ice and Snow Sports Industry Awards, also made their debut at this year’s Winter Expo. Themed “Winter Gives Birth to the Future, United in Moving Forward,” the Winter Top Awards brought together representatives from ski resorts, ice rinks, ice and snow clubs, enthusiasts, equipment manufacturers, and winter tourism destinations across the country to offer insights for the development of China’s ice and snow industry. Zhu Chengyi, Executive Chairman of the Winter Top Awards Executive Committee and Vice President of the Chinese Ski Association, noted that the awards aim to highlight advanced forces and exemplary brands in the ice and snow industry, promote mutual support and collaboration, and strengthen partnerships. He believes the awards ceremony and industry conference serve as one of the strongest drivers for integrating industry advantages and leading new trends.

      To better facilitate exchanges and cooperation between China’s ice and snow industry and its international counterparts, the Winter Expo also released the “China Ice and Snow Industry Development Research Report.” The report conducted extensive and in-depth research among a wide range of stakeholders, including government authorities, associations, venues, industry enterprises, clubs, enthusiasts, and tourism destinations, mapping out the full picture and future trends of China’s ice and snow industry and pointing out valuable directions for its development.

      Zhang Li, Vice President of IDG China, mentioned that based on the “300 million people on snow and ice” goal, the report conducted deep research and insights into personnel training and ice and snow in schools, offering actionable measures. Additionally, the report compiled numerous capital resources, making it highly valuable for ice and snow industry investments.

      The Winter Expo also invited the “International Ice and Snow Think Tank.” This think tank brings together top-tier talent from all sectors of the ice and snow industry, aiming to provide China with professional strategic research consulting services and comprehensive solutions for industry development. For professionals in China’s ice and snow sector, these are key resources for initiating exchanges and collaborations with the international industry.

      Additionally, the Winter Expo hosted the 2019 Exhibitor Awards Ceremony. The selection included five awards—“Best Organization Award,” “Outstanding Exhibition Award,” “Innovative Product Award,” “Top Design Award,” and “Most Popular Award”—to recognize exhibitors and brands that contributed to the 2019 Winter Expo.

      Beyond focusing on industrial development and international cooperation, this year’s Winter Expo also introduced numerous activities aimed at popularizing winter sports, including youth ice and snow experiences, the Public Snow and Ice Carnival, the Ice and Snow Experts Talk, and the Personal Equipment Show for Winter Sports.

      On-site, gymnastics Olympic champion He Kexin appeared at the Chinese Olympic Committee exhibition area to interact warmly with fans; the mascots of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, “Bing Dwen Dwen” and “Shuey Rhon Rhon,” attracted many young people for photos; many visitors brought their children to ride snow tubes down slopes before trying ski simulators, with screams and laughter filling the air; at the curling experience zone, many youths eagerly lined up to try the new sport; some citizens bravely hit the ice to enjoy skiing; and at the “Personal Equipment Show,” cutting-edge wearable tech and the latest fashion brands drew crowds that couldn’t bear to leave.

      A uniformly dressed group of Beijing “junior reporters” became a unique sight at the Winter Expo. Selected from primary and secondary schools across the city, these young reporters asked questions from a child’s perspective, reported on the Expo based on what they saw, heard, and felt, and called on more peers to care about and participate in winter sports, supporting the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in their own small ways.

      One parent with a child remarked that it felt like an entertaining ice and snow festival, allowing everyone to fully enjoy the joy of outdoor winter activities. This shows that these diverse supporting events have achieved full coverage of the ice and snow industry chain, successfully igniting public enthusiasm for participating in winter sports and promoting the spread of winter sports culture. Whether you’re an industry professional or an enthusiast, there’s something for everyone to gain and enjoy the benefits of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.