On the morning of January 4th, the first gold medal of the 12th National Winter Games was awarded in the ski jumping event. In contrast to the intense competition inside the arena, skiing enthusiasts outside the venue were equally immersed in the joy brought by the sport.
"Elite sport" becomes more accessible to the public
At the bustling Beidahu Ski Resort in Jilin, despite the ongoing Winter Games snow events, the slopes were filled not only with professional athletes but also with skiing enthusiasts from all over China and even overseas. Their skiing gear was relatively professional, though judging by their movements, many were beginners.
Suddenly, a woman let out a scream as she slid down the slope. Due to her lack of skill and slightly excessive speed, she had to shout “Get out of the way!” before finally plopping down onto the snow. Getting up, the Shandong tourist named Li Min smiled and told reporters that her family had been at Beidahu Ski Resort for two days and planned to watch two more days of competition before heading home. “The kid kept begging to come skiing and see the snow in the northeast. We’ve been busy all year, so we thought we’d bring the kids here to have some fun.”
Cheng Baoying, director of the Beidahu Sports Tourism Economic Development Zone Management Committee, said that skiing was introduced to China from Europe and America, and this Western “elite sport” has rapidly become more popular among the general public in recent years. “Our Beidahu Ski Resort can be considered one of the better-resourced and more fully-featured ski resorts in China. The total cost of the cable car, ticket, and ski equipment rental is less than 300 yuan, which is affordable for most families. That’s why more and more people have been coming to ski in recent years.”
“With the development of China’s economy and society and the improvement of people’s living standards, the ‘massification’ of skiing has shown rapid growth,” said Huang Hongli, a gate judge for the alpine skiing events at this Winter Games. On one hand, the number of domestic ski venues continues to increase, with several hundred ski resorts receiving tens of millions of visitors each year. On the other hand, as diverse market segments begin to take shape across different regions, “skiing has become an entertainment activity for the masses, gradually integrating into people’s lives. Nowadays, not only in the three northeastern provinces, but also in Beijing, Henan, Shandong, and even some southern provinces and cities, efforts are actively being made to develop this market,” said Huang Hongli.
Skiing is a unique winter sport. Unlike other indoor sports, it takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Beyond the thrill of the activity, it also allows you to experience the purity and grandeur of the mountains. As people have more leisure time and place greater emphasis on exercise, many are quietly changing their lifestyles—saying goodbye to “hibernating in winter” and strapping on skis to dive into snowy forests and fields.
Skiing drives four times the economic benefits in related industries
With the development of China’s skiing industry, the hardware facilities at ski resorts across the country have been continuously improved, and service quality has been enhanced. In many places, there is even a situation where “tickets are hard to come by.” The growth of ski resorts and the increasing popularity of ski tourism have directly driven the development of the surrounding economy.
Since the start of last winter, Beidahu Ski Resort has seen a surge in bookings from foreign athletes and skiing enthusiasts. Several major travel agencies in Russia’s Far East have reserved rooms at Beidahu for the New Year’s period. According to statistics, there were about 2,000 foreign visitors to Beidahu last year, and the number is expected to reach 10,000 this year.
Tanya Vasinova from Russia visited Beidahu Ski Resort with her family and friends. She was surprised to see so many fellow Russians there. “I was amazed to see so many Russians skiing here. Some are students studying here, while others, like me, are tourists.” Tanya Vasinova found the air in Jilin to be very fresh and the climate quite similar to Russia’s, making it very comfortable. “This place is becoming more and more bustling. The ski resort, cable cars, ski equipment, and the service staff all make us feel at ease. Our trip has been worthwhile.”
Cheng Baoying, director of the Beidahu Development Zone Management Committee, said that Beidahu plans to comprehensively upgrade and improve all construction projects and reception service facilities within the resort over the next 20 years, creating a world-class outdoor sports and leisure resort with complete functions, full facilities, and top-tier services. “Skiing is only one-quarter of each person’s spending. There’s also food, accommodation, and transportation, which directly boosts local tax revenue and employment. Each visitor who skis for a day brings at least four times that amount in income to related industries. At the same time, one job at a ski resort can generate at least four jobs in other industries,” said Cheng Baoying.
Shen Zhiyuan, head of the Sports Tourism Bureau of the Beidahu Development Zone, said: “Compared to the time of the 2007 Asian Winter Games, our current reception capacity has increased fivefold.” He believes that the economic benefits generated by the development of tourism skiing far exceed the direct economic returns of the ski resort itself.
Li Fengqiao, chief gate judge for alpine skiing at the National Winter Games, believes that after years of market cultivation, operators of domestic ski resorts have made improvements in slope construction and service facilities. He said: “With the development of China’s social economy, people are becoming more enthusiastic about participating in skiing in winter. The increase in the number of skiers and their enthusiasm will drive the upgrading of current domestic ski resorts. Large ski resorts or ski resorts with comprehensive functions and advanced supporting facilities already have a demand market in China, and this demand will continue to grow in the future.”
The "barriers to entry" for skiing should still be lowered
If you’re just skiing occasionally, the price doesn’t seem too high. But if you want to become a long-term skiing enthusiast, the current “barriers to entry” are still daunting for many.
Compared to Beidahu Ski Resort’s move toward “internationalization,” the “internationalization” of skiing equipment and gear leaves a somewhat bitter taste. While speeding across the snowy fields, observant individuals can see that almost all skiing gear—from goggles on enthusiasts’ heads and skis under their feet, to snow groomers, snowmaking machines, snowmobiles, and snow bikes on the slopes—is dominated by well-known foreign brands.
At an outdoor gear store in Beidahu Ski Resort, reporters saw that the price of a single ski hat or pair of gloves could exceed 100 yuan, while a set of outdoor clothing ranged from 3,000 to 5,000 yuan, and a set of ski equipment often cost several thousand or even tens of thousands of yuan. Store staff said that compared to domestic equipment, imported gear is more professional and safer, making it highly favored by professional athletes—but the prices are also several times higher. A mid-range imported ski suit costs around 6,000 yuan, the suits worn by national team members are about 8,000 yuan, ski boots are close to 10,000 yuan, and snowboards are at least 10,000 yuan for a single board.
Wu Bin, general manager of the Beidahu Ski Resort in Jilin, said: “Given the growing number of ‘skiing enthusiasts’ in China, many businesses, both domestic and international, see this as a huge opportunity. But when it comes to dividing this ‘cake,’ our country’s share is pitifully small. While domestic equipment is improving technologically, what’s lacking most in Chinese ski gear is a strong brand image. That’s precisely why most large domestic ski resorts don’t use domestic equipment.”
The skiing industry is called a “white gold mine.” Experts predict that China will have at least around 10 million skiing enthusiasts in the future, indicating the huge potential of the skiing industry. “Although skiing is rapidly gaining popularity, the expensive cost of equipment is a major reason why snow sports are not more widely adopted. The ‘barriers to entry’ for skiing in our country should be reduced as soon as possible,” said Liu Tian, manager of the Outdoor Equipment Store at Changchun Leisure Island.