The skiing season has officially arrived with the first snowfall of winter in Beijing. Ski resorts across Beijing and the rest of the country are fully prepared to welcome skiing enthusiasts from all over, and winter sports have become the most popular theme of the season. Against the backdrop of promoting national fitness and the 2022 Winter Olympics, skiing is not merely a physical activity but will continue to drive the marketization of the skiing industry chain.
Skiing Is a Way of Life
“I remember an experience skiing abroad where I saw a father carrying a child around two or three years old on his back and leading another child aged four or five as they sped down the mountain slopes. You won’t find such a scene in China – that’s the difference between skiing cultures here and abroad.” Wei Piaopiao, co-founder of RUSHI Outdoor, the professional outdoor travel brand under CYTS Tours Holding’s HowToTrip, has deep insights into skiing. “Abroad, skiing is like a way of life, an indispensable part of people’s daily lives. People there are very familiar with mountain environments, ski runs, and snow conditions. In contrast, skiing in China is still more of a leisure and vacation model. Most people focus more on the size of the resort and supporting facilities rather than enjoying the fun of skiing itself.”
Ultimately, skiing culture is the product of combining the sport of skiing with cultural elements. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, Europe launched large-scale plans for developing ski mountains. To this day, China’s skiing industry has a history of less than 20 years. Although skiing has been growing rapidly in recent years, research into its cultural essence and talent development still lag behind.
Wang Shigang, general manager of Dolomiti Ski Resort, told reporters: “The development and popularization of skiing abroad also went through a long process, so their resorts have more advanced supporting facilities compared to those in China. There are also gaps in the number, length, and vertical drop of ski runs, as well as in the capacity of chairlifts. Currently, regions like Northern Europe and North America have large chairlifts that can carry over a hundred people. Additionally, various skiing-related events are held annually at ski resorts abroad, and people have long regarded skiing as a way of life.”
Zhang Jiaqian
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Ski Industry Becomes a “Darling” of Capital Markets
Currently, most ski resorts in China are built relying on mountain resources in the northeast and are concentrated in the three northeastern provinces. There are also many established and emerging ski resorts in Beijing, Hebei, and other areas. Indoor ski resorts are being developed in places like the Yangtze River Delta, but high-quality ski resorts remain few and far between.
After Beijing and Zhangjiakou successfully bid for the Winter Olympics, the national goal of “getting 300 million people involved in winter sports” not only paints a new horizon for the development of winter sports but also triggers a new wave of capital enthusiasm due to the huge business opportunities in the skiing industry chain.
In June this year, Caissa Travel announced its entry into the overseas skiing tourism sector and launched its new skiing sub-brand “Ski the World.” In July, CYTS Tours Holding’s HowToTrip held a press conference in Shanghai to officially introduce its professional outdoor brand – RUSHI Outdoor – aiming to tap into the O2O market for outdoor travel and sports, with skiing as one of its flagship offerings. In November, Tuniu launched its new “Outdoor Travel” channel, featuring over 100 themed tour products across six categories including skiing, cycling, family outdoor activities, and golf. Subsequently, Ctrip’s premium travel brand, Honorsky, also introduced multiple routes featuring top global ski resorts. Meanwhile, ski resorts, as direct beneficiaries of winter sports, have also become the “darlings” of capital.
“Ski resorts in Beijing and surrounding areas experienced rapid development from 2000, growing from just a few to over twenty. In the fierce competitive environment, only about a dozen with relatively complete services and facilities remain. Chongli’s development, on the other hand, took a long time – starting with two ski resorts in 2004, there are now only four in operation, with another four under construction, expected to bring the total to eight next year,” said Wang Shigang. He believes this transformation is based on people’s growing understanding of skiing and also benefits from the successful bid for the Winter Olympics. “We’ve found that some major international ski resorts have shown strong interest in investing in China’s mountain development and ski resort projects. Many tourism and real estate organizations are also entering the skiing field.”
The “Second Generation of Outdoor Enthusiasts” Will Become a Key Demographic Driving China’s Winter Sports
Skiing is different from other activities – it’s an extreme sport that purifies the soul and challenges oneself. With China’s economic development, a small group known as the “second generation of outdoor enthusiasts” has emerged. These individuals prefer to spend their holidays at ski resorts, enjoying nature and the thrill of skiing, and even make several trips abroad to ski each year. Wang Shigang believes they are an important vehicle for bringing more foreign skiing culture to China and will also be a key demographic leading the shift from a leisure-oriented to a vacation-oriented skiing model in China.
Ski Resorts Face Upgrades and Renovations
Against the backdrop of promoting national fitness and the 2022 Winter Olympics, the skiing industry is seen as an important driver for boosting winter tourism market growth. However, compared to international ski resorts, China’s ski resorts still have much work to do.
Xu Xinwen, marketing director of Nanshan Ski Resort, believes that China’s skiing industry currently faces seven urgent issues. First, there is a lack of internal social management standards and low levels of self-management organization. Second, there is no standardized system for the skiing industry, resulting in management without clear guidelines. Third, the focus on expansion over quality has led to an overall low standard of ski resorts. Fourth, the overall equipment level of resorts is low, and supporting facilities are inadequate. Fifth, there is no established teaching framework or system for skiing in China, resulting in a very low conversion rate of participants into loyal skiers. Sixth, there is a severe shortage of professional skiing technicians and management personnel, with vocational education in this area almost non-existent, leading to a serious lack of human resources to support industry growth. Seventh, the cultural foundation of skiing is weak. “Compared to upgrading hardware facilities, talent and management are the keys to development. Starting from summer this year, Nanshan has been carrying out large-scale renovation and expansion projects. From renovating ski runs and service halls to improving service processes and dining environments, every aspect is being enhanced.”
For example, this year Nanshan’s ski service hall has increased its ticket windows to 40, lockers to 3,700, and the total number of available ski boards and boots for rent to 7,565 sets. In addition, the snack plaza has added Chongqing noodles, and the Nanshan cafeteria has enriched its selection of clay pot dishes, providing more culinary enjoyment alongside skiing. In terms of service, 80% of snowboard users will enjoy a faster and more orderly process following the new procedure of “collecting ski boots and clothes – locker – ski board and poles.” Xu Xinwen explained.
China’s skiing industry is currently in its early stages of rapid development. As the public truly understands its many benefits and gets involved, skiing will also become an important part of Chinese people’s winter lives. At the same time, the skiing industry chain will face higher standards and adapt to the demands of the times.
According to Wang Shigang, the management of China’s skiing industry mostly follows corporate management standards. The state only has safety protection standards for high-risk venues and no clear overall standards for ski resorts. Currently, only Heilongjiang has local standards for ski resort operations, while some countries where skiing originated earlier have established national standards. “In China, industry definitions generally evaluate a ski resort’s scale based on the number, length, and vertical drop of ski runs, including the ratio of beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs, as well as the completeness of supporting facilities, hotel reception capacity, and the size of reception centers. Currently, ski resorts around Beijing are considered recreational, with runs typically between 1-1.5 kilometers long. Chongli has more runs and longer ones, classifying it as a medium to large ski resort in China. Currently, Dolomiti’s longest run exceeds 2 kilometers. After the successful Olympic bid, plans are underway to build a resort with fifty to sixty runs within the next five to six years, and comprehensive facilities will include star-rated hotels and advanced high-speed chairlifts to provide a better vacation experience for skiers.”
Huge Development Potential in the Skiing Industry Chain
Skiing is a combination of tourism, leisure, and sports, involving multiple industries. Virtually every piece of equipment or gear in a ski resort represents an industry – such as ski boards, ski suits, chairlifts, snowmaking machines, snow groomers, and even glasses and hats – each driving the development of related sectors.
“The construction and development of ski resorts will drive the development and construction of a series of related industries. First, it can significantly increase job opportunities in suburban and rural areas, while also boosting the development of road, rail, and air transport. It also greatly stimulates sales of skiing and outdoor clothing, accessories, and equipment,” emphasized Xu Xinwen.
Compared to developed skiing nations, China still has significant room for growth in skiing participation, ski resort expansion and development, and skiing equipment.
Wei Piaopiao pointed out that China’s cultural industry is thriving, and culture and sports are inseparable. With culture already on the rise, sports won’t be far behind. As people gain more wealth and begin to pursue healthier lifestyles, although acceptance and change will take time, the number of people participating in outdoor activities will undoubtedly grow. The potential of this market is unquestionable. Therefore, the most important task for the outdoor industry now is to guide these people to make outdoor sports a way of life.
Xu Xinwen believes that ski resorts should not just focus on market scale but must ensure that development is not compromised by quality. The skiing industry must achieve comprehensive development in areas such as the number of ski resorts, the level of skiing equipment, operational management, skiing instruction, marketing, equipment manufacturing, cultural development, talent cultivation, international exchange, and environmental protection to realize an overall improvement in the scale and quality of the skiing industry.
Ski Industry Enters an Era of Management Integration
Thanks to the strong push and investment from skiing professionals, the market has grown rapidly. The skiing industry is gradually shifting toward a composite industrial structure. Ski resorts must not only offer good runs and comprehensive facilities but also establish site and service standards aligned with international norms – a topic that many industry players are dedicating significant time and effort to researching.
In July this year, Antai Snow Industry announced the establishment of the Antai Ski Vocational and Technical College. The college will provide training and continuing education in various areas—such as the operational management of ski resorts, mountain development and maintenance, operation and upkeep of equipment, first aid and rehabilitation for sports injuries, ski instruction techniques and services, and ski school management—through online education, on-site training, and other methods, catering to both industry professionals and winter sports enthusiasts.
Wang Shigang said: “From an industry perspective, the skiing field is not lacking in capital, but rather talent. However, China currently has no specialized training institutions for the snow and ice industry, nor any dedicated colleges focused on skiing industry education. From the planning and design of ski resorts, the development of mountain slopes and runs, the ratio of comprehensive facility provisions, to the construction of snowmaking systems, as well as resort management and operations, there is a great need for skilled personnel. Antai’s goals are very clear—it mainly operates through two business models: the management of ski resorts and talent training. In the near future, an important trend will be the separation of investors and operators within the skiing industry—in other words, professionals will handle the professional tasks. At the same time, these institutions will also become strong driving forces in the era of integrated management within the skiing industry.”