This weekend, major ski resorts in Urumqi experienced their first mini surge in visitors since the launch of the "Ice and Snow Festival." On the 12th alone, the four major ski resorts including Xuelianshan saw over 10,000 visitors, an increase of about 20% compared to the same period last year.
At the Xuelianshan Golf Lighted Ski Resort, a fun and challenging snowboarding competition kicked off to cheers. Nearly a thousand skiing enthusiasts gathered to watch the event and enjoy the thrill of winter sports. One skier told reporters, “It’s great to bring all the skiing lovers together, make friends, and exchange experiences. It’s really exciting and relaxing. The ski resorts in Xinjiang are excellent, but there aren’t enough events. I’ll definitely come back often.”
A variety of colorful ice and snow activities and discounted ticket prices have been key factors in attracting visitors. In the square in front of the Xuelianshan Ski Resort, cars whizzed by on their way to the slopes. By 3 p.m., the parking lot was full. Xu Xia, manager of the resort's planning department, said that since the first Ice and Snow Festival was held in 2003, the number of visitors to Xuelianshan Ski Resort has grown by 20% annually. She said, “Today’s visitor volume is very high, reaching around 2,500 people. With the continuous expansion of the resort, we expect to welcome 150,000 visitors this year. We’re constantly adjusting our services based on market demand to ensure both domestic and international guests can truly experience the unique ice and snow activities in Xinjiang.”
Reporters also learned from Urumqi’s Vist Ski Resort, Baiyun International Ski Resort, and Silk Road Ski Resort that on the 12th, each resort received over 2,000 visitors, with daily traffic maintaining an average of more than 500 people — an increase of about 20% compared to the same period last year.