The year 2018 can be described as a true sports extravaganza. The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in February, the just-concluded FIFA Men's World Cup, and the upcoming Jakarta Asian Games in August have all reignited the passion of sports fans. Among these, the Winter Olympics are most closely linked to the tourism economy, and when discussing the Winter Olympics, one must inevitably mention an important economic term — the Olympic economy.
The so-calledOlympic economy is an economic phenomenon, referring to all direct or indirect,economic activitiesofthat take place within a certain time frame and spatial scope,related to the hosting of the Olympic Games,as well as all the resulting economic connections and benefits derived from these activities.The Olympic economy is characterized by agglomeration effects, fission effects, radiation effects, broad coverage, and periodicity.The Olympic Games are the most widely participated in and highly anticipated global sporting events,and their
overall impact and influence form the foundation of the Olympic economy.Forthe countryhosting the Olympic Games,one of the main purposes is to promote regional economic development and increase employment.From the first Olympics to turn a profit — the Los Angeles Olympics, which netted the U.S. government$250 million — tothe 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics,which generated$70 million in dining and accommodation revenue.for the local area,as well as7,000 new jobs.7,000 jobs.Then there was the estimated revenue from the successful conclusion earlier this yearof the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, which brought in 376.6 billion RMB. These cases all provide strong evidence of the powerful ripple effects of Olympic economics.
According to a report provided by the Beijing Survey Corps of the National Bureau of Statistics and the Department of National Economic Accounting of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics,the 2008 Beijing Olympicsduring the investment phase led to an average annual GDP growth rate in Beijingof 11.8%, with the Olympics contributingto1%,and per capitaGDP doubling. At the same time, the Olympicsalsostimulated development in various sectors such as tourism and real estate, creatingmore than2 millionnewjobs.The Olympicshave become a new driver of comprehensive urban development and an important path to achieving leapfrog growth in tourism economy.
Withthe successful bid and official preparation period for the 2022 Beijing-Zhangjiakou Winter Olympics, the Games have also brought a rare development opportunity for Zhangjiakou. They will greatly boost the city’s economic restructuring, infrastructure construction, especially the development of its tourism economy. Following Zhangjiakou's designation as an “Ecological Environment Support Zone for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region” and a “Water Conservation Functional Zone,” the city’s main industrial structure has gradually shifted from heavy industry to green eco-industries. The urban tourism sector is mobilizing all stakeholders to prepare thoroughly and support the Olympic economy.
According to official statistics,in 2016 Zhangjiakou achieved a total tourism income of 45.17 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of 32%. In 2017, the total tourism revenue reached 69.65 billion RMB, up 34.1% year-on-year, with 62.598 million tourists visiting, an increase of 20.5%. It is predicted that with the boost from the Winter Olympics and Zhangjiakou’s own development, the city’s total tourism revenue will reach around 200 billion RMB by 2020, and by 2044, its GDP will hit 1.5 trillion RMB, ranking third among all cities in Hebei Province.
Zhangjiakou’s Chongli and Chicheng are home to the largest natural ski resorts in North China, known asthe “Davos of the East.” To ensure the smooth running of the Winter Olympics, Zhangjiakou has taken measures such as public-private collaboration to upgrade several ski resorts in Chongli, while Chicheng, positioned as a “nationally renowned eco-resort tourism destination” and a key node in the “Beijing-Tianjin Leisure Tourism Industry Belt,”is focusing on developing its eco-tourism industry.
Chichengborders Beijing and is one of Hebei Province’s14 counties adjacent to the capital, lying just 110 kilometers in a straight line from central Beijing. It serves as a transport link connecting Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia, sharing over 150 kilometers of border with Beijing. Chicheng has a forest coverage rate of 57.57%,ranksfirst in Zhangjiakou City. Chicheng boasts excellent air quality,with an average PM2.5 concentration of 31 micrograms per cubic meter,placing it among the top in Hebei Province.Chichenghas a total of85 individual tourism resources,covering eight major categories including landform landscapes, water features, and tourism commodities.Chichengleverages itsgeographical and ecologicaladvantagesto introduce a number of large-scaletourism resort projects,including the New Snow Country Tourism Resort Project, the Haotuo Town Tourism Resort Project, and the Heilongshan Cultural Ecotourism Project.
Among them, the New Snow Country Tourism Resort Project centers around four core "seeds" — "skiing," "aviation," "medical care," and "education" — actively promoting the development of industries such as finance, technology, culture, and art. It plans to cultivate a model city characterized by year-round living and travel over a span of 10–15 years. On July 16, 2018, New Snow Country acquired a 60-acre plot in Chicheng, which will be used to build an eco-tech residential community. On July 18, 2018, the New Snow Country Chongli Development Pavilion also officially opened to the public. The concept of New Snow Country “plantingWith "skiing," "aviation," "medical," and "education" as the four core seeds, efforts are actively being made to promote the development of industries such as finance, technology, culture, and the arts. The plan is to cultivate a model city characterized by year-round living and travel over a period of 10–15 years. On July 16, 2018, Xin Xue Guo acquired a 60-acre plot in Chicheng, which will be used to build an eco-technology residential community. On July 18, 2018, the Xin Xue Guo Chongli Development Pavilion was officially opened to the public. Xin Xue Guo is "planting"acity”is being gradually realized. As the birthplace of Zhangjiakou’s ecotourism, Chicheng will provide strong support for regional economic development following the Winter Olympics.
The relationship between the Winter Olympics and Zhangjiakou is as inseparable as lips and teeth. Hosting the Winter Olympics not only promotesandimproves ecological construction within the Zhangjiakou region, but alsohashadapositive impact on Zhangjiakou’s tourism economy, which will undoubtedly enhance the city’s image and strengthen its competitiveness as a tourism brand. The steady growth of Zhangjiakou’s tourism economy will, in turn, reinforce the lasting influence of the Olympic economy, driving significant progress in the Olympic movement and achieving a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship between the Olympic economy and the tourism economy.