Skiers having fun at the resort
As the Spring Festival golden week approaches, major ski resorts across the region are gearing up. In addition to further improving hardware facilities and upgrading service quality, they have also prepared a variety of entertaining activities to offer visitors new experiences. Moreover, most ski resorts have launched early Spring Festival promotions, aiming to cash in during the holiday season.
Ski resorts prepare for Spring Festival
In 2012, the skiing enthusiasm among residents in Urumqi, the regional capital, was remarkably high, with skiing becoming a popular activity on many families’ Spring Festival itineraries. Major ski resorts are raring to go and ready to welcome skiers.
"This year, our resort receives around 500 visitors daily, which doubled during New Year’s Day. We expect even better numbers during Spring Festival. To prepare for the golden week, we’ve developed specific plans to handle the peak flow of skiers. The whole resort is now gearing up for the Spring Festival rush," said Su Jie, sales manager of the Vist ski resort.
It has been learned that many ski resorts will offer promotions during the Spring Festival. For example, the Tianshan Tianchi Ski Resort will provide free skiing for children under 10, free shuttle bus rides for those holding Spring Festival ski tickets, student discounts, and even complimentary ski tickets with accommodation bookings.
Wang Hao, head of the Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area, said that ski resorts always attach great importance to the Spring Festival golden week. In addition to offering various promotions, they also create a festive atmosphere at the resort to allow visitors to enjoy the holiday spirit amid the snow and ice.
In addition to promotional offers, prices at ski resorts during the Spring Festival will follow holiday rates, about 10% higher than usual.
Chen Liansheng, general manager of Baiyun International Ski Resort, said that to ensure visitors have a safe holiday, safety inspections are being carried out daily. It is understood that in the lead-up to the holidays, all resorts are actively conducting self-inspections, thoroughly checking facilities such as cable cars and tow lifts, establishing patrol and rescue mechanisms, and increasing the number of safety patrols on the slopes to ensure visitor safety.
Skiing becomes a Spring Festival trend
It is understood that since the launch of the "Urumqi Ice and Snow Festival," activities at ski resorts and clubs across Xinjiang have become increasingly frequent. They attract visitors through various festivals and events, and this winter, the public’s enthusiasm for skiing has reached unprecedented levels. Since New Year’s Day 2012, tourist numbers have repeatedly hit new highs.
"I’m 45 years old and have been skiing for three years. Every winter I take advantage of holidays to hit the slopes. The speed and thrill are unmatched by other activities, and I often participate in skiing events around the country. With the gradual improvement of ski resort facilities around Urumqi, I believe skiing is not just a hobby for me—I’m also considering making it my career!" said Lu Qiangguo, who runs an outdoor gear business in Urumqi.
As winter tourism in Xinjiang grows increasingly popular year by year, the number of ski resorts in the region has also gradually increased, intensifying competition among them. Beyond hardware and software improvements, ski resorts are also quietly competing on price. Although costs have risen for various reasons this year, resorts have not raised prices rashly. Instead, they are finding more ways to cut costs and offering more discounts to attract visitors.
It has been learned that unlike previous years, when people tended to stay indoors during the Spring Festival, many residents are now including skiing as a key part of their holiday plans and are making arrangements to go with family and friends. "Every year we just eat and drink during Spring Festival—it’s so boring. This year, I plan to go skiing with my relatives and friends. I think it’s much more fun than staying home eating and playing cards," said Lü Tao, a resident of the regional capital, who has already made plans with family and friends to celebrate a unique Spring Festival at Baiyun Ski Resort.
Skiing safety precautions
As the Spring Festival approaches, skiers are teaming up to make the most of the holiday. Reporters here remind skiers: safety first!
Skiing is now considered a high-risk sport, and almost every skiing season sees accidents where visitors get injured. It is understood that in many of these incidents, beginners attempted intermediate or advanced slopes before mastering basic skills, and this "overreaching" often leads to injuries.
Liu Gang, still wearing a cast on his leg, can attest to this. "This was my first time skiing. After practicing for over an hour with an instructor, I couldn’t wait to hit the intermediate slope. But I couldn’t control my speed at all. When I saw someone ahead, I panicked and forgot the evasion techniques the instructor taught me—I ended up tumbling down. Looking back, it was really reckless and not worth it!"
Skiing professionals recommend that beginners practice on beginner slopes with professional instructors and only progress to intermediate or advanced slopes once they have achieved a certain level of proficiency—always within their limits. When unable to effectively control speed or balance, skiers should consciously fall to the side or rear to avoid injury.
Winter skiing is meant to be an enjoyable experience of winter sports, but injuring yourself for entertainment is definitely not worth it.