The Changbai Mountain International Resort, which is about to open ceremoniously in Changbai Mountain this winter, is fully prepared to welcome visitors from all over China and around the world. Led by Wanda Group and jointly developed by powerful and renowned enterprises such as Oceanwide and Lenovo, this world-class top-tier resort has a total investment exceeding 23 billion yuan, adding another legend to the long-renowned Changbai Mountain. But what kind of opportunity led to this ambitious project? And how should we interpret the underlying philosophy behind the Changbai Mountain International Resort? General Manager Ma of the resort provides the answers.
Regarding why Changbai Mountain was chosen as the destination for this investment project, and where the potential charm and value of Changbai Mountain truly come from, General Manager Ma offers the following insights:
This has always been an unavoidable question. First, from the product perspective, one of the main features of the Changbai Mountain International Resort is ski vacationing. China’s ski industry is currently entering a period of vigorous development, with ski resorts around Beijing increasing year after year. The ski industry is gradually transforming from a competitive sport into a major hobby for some people, giving rise to a group of ski enthusiasts and even fanatics. Skiing has become a way for them to pursue life and challenge themselves. However, as China’s economy develops and people’s financial capabilities improve, skiing alone may no longer satisfy their needs.
Faced with such a window of updated demand, we hope to leverage the unique advantages of Changbai Mountain to create a landmark of a new era. Changbai Mountain’s own reputation and natural conditions are unmatched by other regions. From the perspective of ski resorts alone, the abundant snowfall here is beyond the reach of many other ski areas. From a tourism standpoint, the fame of Changbai Mountain itself, along with its well-preserved natural landscapes, has always been a source of longing. With important factors such as a major mountain, famous scenic spots, suitability in all seasons, and heavy snowfall, we chose to build an international resort with skiing as one of its themes here.
For the vast number of ski enthusiasts and fanatics, how do we interpret the formation, development, and realization of the concept of the Changbai Mountain Ski Resort?
The concept of ski vacationing has undergone decades or even hundreds of years of refinement abroad, and is very mature in regions such as Europe, America, and Canada. Their ski villages, formed through the gathering of villages, were built gradually over the years, during which many unavoidable issues arose. There were certain deficiencies in overall planning. We learned from their experience and established the basic form of such a ski resort.
Secondly, looking at many ski resorts in China, most are relatively pure ski resorts at present, with the corresponding services of surrounding hotels and other supporting facilities being only barely satisfactory in the current market. Most have been feeling their way forward, raising funds in a snowballing manner. As operators of ski resorts, everyone knows that supporting facilities are needed, but they are unable to keep up capital-wise. And this is where Wanda and the other six groups have a distinct advantage. The reason why such a massive resort could be built in an extremely short time, meeting the upgrade of the ski vacationing concept, is because under the three major premises of resource advantage (i.e., the natural conditions of Changbai Mountain itself), capital advantage, and a clear understanding of market demand, this international resort with a skiing theme was born.
Looking at the entire development process of the project, the investors have genuinely invested 20 billion yuan, which is also what sets us apart from other tourism developers. We prioritize satisfying consumer demand as the first priority. Many products and surrounding facilities in the resort are free for consumers. For example, the Shaman Museum, cultural center, and some scenic area developments are still non-profit ventures.
During the development process, after carefully analyzing consumer demand, we systematically created everything required for a resort. Even just the first phase can fully meet all the needs of our customers. In the past, the development of the ski industry only considered maximizing profits, cutting out non-profit elements. As a result, customers lost many choices, and a ski trip could lose a lot of enjoyment. For example, after skiing, there might be no hot springs; if you want to go to a bar, there isn’t one; if you want to enjoy gourmet food, your options are limited; if you want to watch a movie, you can’t; if you want to sing karaoke, there’s almost nothing. But in our resort, there’s almost everything. All vacation and enjoyment elements are fully available here, and they are all top luxury brands. Hot springs, hot pot, theaters, cinemas, and other full-range services greatly enhance consumer enthusiasm and comfort.
Moreover, in our resort, skiing is just one of the themes. We also offer many other entertainment activities. Winter outdoor activities such as ice fishing, curling, ice skating, and dog sledding are all areas we are fully developing. We have developed seven or eight artificial lakes alone. Therefore, we are not just a simple ski resort. Our slogan is: Fall in Love with Skiing. We hope everyone can experience the joy of skiing, and the joy of skiing may not be limited to the sport itself, but also loving the snow and ice, enjoying relaxing and challenging oneself in such an environment — that is our ultimate goal. What is a vacation? Spending a weekend is not a vacation; being able to comfortably stay for thirty or fifty days, feeling reluctant to leave, relaxed in body and mind, and happy in spirit — that is what can be called a vacation.
For future development, we will certainly have a second phase, and even a third. But as previously mentioned, the scale of our first phase already far surpasses that of other ski resorts in China, with all supporting facilities being top-tier brands, fully capable of meeting the current demands of domestic consumers. Therefore, the future second and third phases will be the icing on the cake after the expansion of the market scale.
As this is the first year of opening, what preferential policies will the Changbai Mountain International Resort offer to its first batch of consumers?
The preferential policies launched this year can be said to be unprecedented for the entire ski resort. Just online, we have introduced an 88-yuan “Changbai Mountain First Experience” discount card. This ski card allows you to enjoy ski programs worth up to 800 yuan, free access to ski slopes, including ski clothing and equipment. If you purchase consumer goods, you can also use it for discounts. However, this is only available in December of this year. Throughout the entire winter, the membership card consumption and other activities we offer are colorful and absolutely advantageous. We also provide customized services for members, available for any group size, highly personalized. This avoids the superficial sightseeing of ordinary group tours. Our pre-sale services will all enjoy certain discounts, which may not be as favorable on-site.
The Changbai Mountain International Resort is set to grandly open on November 30, 2012, symbolizing the full arrival of the Resort 3.0 era led by Wanda Group, and heralding the rapid unveiling of this winter’s feast for vacation and ski enthusiasts.