11Month16Day “Birthplace of Human Skiing – China · Altay” 2017Year Winter–Spring Tourism Promotion for the Holy City of Ice and Snow – Altay Was Held in Beijing. Pang Linhua, Director of the Regional Cooperation Division of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, Li Bing, Deputy Secretary of the Altay Prefectural Committee and Commander-in-Chief of the Heilongjiang Aid-Xinjiang Front Command, attended the promotion event.
Announced on-site the first batch of cities with newly launched direct flights including Tianjin and Xi'an, as well as the launch of Altay’s winter–spring tourism brand “Holy City of Ice and Snow” and its product routes. The event showcased four core tourism resources to the public: the title of “Birthplace of Human Skiing,”
“the most beautiful snow village – Hemu,” representing ultimate ice and snow landscapes; world-class skiing resources represented by extreme backcountry powder snow; and diverse folk cultural activities.-The ultimate ice and snow landscapes represented by "Hemu," world-class skiing resources featuring extreme off-piste skiing, and diverse folk cultural activities are the four core tourism resources.
Strengthening Ice and Snow Tourism: The Birthplace of Human Skiing Goes Global
Located in northern Xinjiang, Altay is a multi-ethnic region predominantly inhabited by the Kazakh people. Blessed by the majestic Altai Mountains, it boasts naturally stunning and uniquely beautiful landscapes. The Pure Land of Kalaxiangu Lake, the world geological wonder of Keketuohai, the most beautiful snow village of Hemu, the desert-fringed Ulungur Lake in Fuhai, rock carvings and murals, authentic Xinjiang cuisine, and the rich folk cultures of the Kazakh, Mongolian, and Tuwa peoples are all uniquely charming. Known as“the Gallery of a Thousand Miles,”it is one of the most ideal tourist destinations for both domestic and international visitors. Compared to the picturesque natural scenery of summer and autumn, Altay’s winter tourism resources are equally outstanding.
Altay Is the Birthplace of Human Skiing
2005The rock paintings depicting skiing and hunting discovered in Altay are the world’s earliest visual representations of ancient people skiing and hunting. The “fur ski” is an ancient snow travel tool invented by local nomadic ethnic groups, with a history of1ten thousand years, and locals still maintain the tradition of using fur skis.
World-Class Skiing Resources Represented by Extreme Backcountry Powder Snow
Altay lies within the golden latitude belt for skiing, with an effective snow retention period of over180days. It features abundant snowfall, long snow seasons, high-quality snow, low altitude, suitable temperatures, and minimal wind—offering first-class skiing conditions that rival world-renowned resorts such as the Alps.
General’s Ski Resort is the closest ski resort to the city, located just1.5kilometers from the city center, making it one of the best ski resort destinations.2015Construction began on the Altay Backcountry Ski Park, successfully introducing helicopter-accessed backcountry skiing, a first in China. In addition to skiing, there are also rich ice and snow tourism experiences such as riding horse-drawn sleighs, wilderness exploration, and trying out fur skiing.
Ultimate Ice and Snow Natural Landscapes Represented by Hemu
Altay’s six-month-long winter landscape resembles a thousand-mile ink painting—silver-clad, starkly black-and-white, pure and pristine… The snow village of Hemu is known as the“Childhood of Humanity,”China’s First Village,“and”China’s Most Beautiful Snow Village.“The Northwest’s First Village, Haba Village, is one of China’s eight most beautiful towns, where you can experience the ancient Tuwa culture in a fairytale-like world.”Known as the "First Village in Northwest China," Haba Village is one of China's eight most beautiful towns, where you can experience the ancient Tuwa culture in a fairy-tale world.
Diverse Folk Festivals and Events
During the long winter season, skiing, horse racing, goat grabbing, girl chasing, and ice fishing are among the main recreational activities, among which“Ice Fishing”is a traditional fishing method on Ulungur Lake in Fuhai County, Xinjiang,with a history of58years to date, and has become a iconic representation of Xinjiang’s winter tourism.
Strategic Location Advantages Highlighted in Building “Altay of the World”
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With the continuous advancement of the national “Belt and Road” strategy, Altay’s geographical advantages have become increasingly prominent. Altay Prefecture has been designated by the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region as the core area for the development of winter ice and snow tourism economy, as well as the ecological tourism zone of the Thousand-Mile Gallery of the Altay Mountains. The “13th Five-Year Plan for Tourism Development in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region” clearly states that Altay will be developed into an international sub-center for medical tourism services, a land transport hub for the China-Russia-Mongolia-Kazakhstan Altay region, a national eco-tourism demonstration zone, an outdoor leisure sports base and self-drive campsite, an autonomous region-level tourism resort, and a national all-for-one tourism demonstration zone, making the development of Altay’s tourism industry a regional priority.
Today, the scale of Altay’s tourism industry continues to expand, its market coverage and visibility are constantly improving, transportation infrastructure is accelerating, and accessibility has been significantly enhanced.
2017
As of2017year9end, Altay Prefecture received1465million tourists, a year-on-year increase of47.34%. It achieved a total tourism revenue of93billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of49.93%. The entire region now hasA-level scenic spots30in total, including5A-level scenic spots3,5Sski resorts1, one Global Geopark,1National Geoparks,1national nature reserves,3national wetland parks, and8national forest parks. There are also4travel agencies and29branch offices.12Moving from “China’s Altay” to “the World’s Altay,” this promotion event is just a small step in Altay’s overall marketing and promotion initiative. Relying on the abundant ice and snow tourism resources of the “Cradle of Human Skiing” and the winter tourism brand of the “Holy City of Ice and Snow,” along with related products, through efforts over the next
to10years, Altay Prefecture will develop into a world-class high-end resort destination and the ice and snow capital of the world.20Years of effort have transformed the Altay region into a world-class high-end resort destination and the global capital of ice and snow.