During the New Year holiday, another ski resort will open in Shijiazhuang. As of now, the city has a total of five ski resorts. With the continuous enrichment of winter tourism offerings in the provincial capital, a competitive trend among ski resorts is gradually taking shape.
Another Ski Resort to Open on New Year’s Day
It is understood that the Xibaipo Hot Spring Ski Resort will begin operations on New Year’s Day 2012. “Upon opening, there will be three ski runs—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—for the public to enjoy. In addition, children can take part in entertainment activities such as snowmobiles, snow discs, and dune buggies,” introduced the person in charge of the Xibaipo Hot Spring Ski Resort. The resort aims to cater to skiers of all ages, with varying needs and skill levels. According to the price list at the Xibaipo Hot Spring Ski Resort, the standard rate is 220 yuan per person on weekdays and 320 yuan per person on weekends.
Tian Lingguang, Director of the Pingshan County Tourism Bureau, said that the Pingshan Hot Spring Ski Resort is one of the projects under the construction of Greater Xibaipo in Pingshan County. Currently, Xibaipo, the hot springs, and the ski resort in Pingshan have enriched Shijiazhuang’s winter tourism options, forming a series of one-day and two-day leisure tour routes for the winter season.
At present, Pingshan is taking Xibaipo as the leading attraction and comprehensively integrating tourism resources. A total of 91 construction projects have been planned and implemented, including the restoration of revolutionary heritage sites, ski resorts, and the Xibaipo Conference Hall.
Integration of Ski Resorts in the Provincial Capital
According to information from the Shijiazhuang Tourism Bureau, the city already has a cluster of ski resorts led by Qingliangshan Ski Resort, which includes the Qinhuang Ancient Road Ski Resort in Jingxing, Nangaoji Ski Resort, Taipinghe Ski Resort, and the newly opened ski resort in Pingshan County.
With this, Shijiazhuang and its surrounding areas now have five ski resorts, initially forming a competitive landscape. It is reported that the bundled price for one-day ice and snow tours around Shijiazhuang generally does not exceed 200 yuan. Recently, promotional activities and marketing campaigns for ski resort tickets have also become increasingly frequent.
“With the increasing number of ski resorts, how to integrate winter tourism routes and how to better offer residents more engaging travel experiences will be issues that the tourism authorities and travel agencies in Shijiazhuang need to consider,” said Xing Wenhai, head of the Market Division of the Shijiazhuang Tourism Bureau. He noted that the integration of winter tourism routes will be imperative in the future.
