Growth target set for ice, snow economy
China DailyBy Wang Keju | China Daily | Updated: 2024-11-22 08:43 SHI YU/CHINA DAILY The State Council has announced plans to grow China's ice and snow economy to 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030, with particular focuses on winter sports, tourism and equipment manufacturing. The growing popularity of winter sports among Chinese consumers, coupled with the government's push to cultivate the ice and snow economy, could serve as a key driver of domestic demand and sustainable development, said Yang Xuedong, director of the Sports Economy Department of the General Administration of Sport. Unlike a siloed or fragmented strategy, China's plan to boost the ice and snow economy aims to seamlessly align winter sports, tourism, equipment manufacturing and cultural promotion as complementary elements of a unified industry ecosystem. Zhang Jianping, deputy director of the academic committee at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the country's current winter sports facilities and services are struggling to keep up with the soaring consumer demand, resulting in overcrowding, poor service quality and high prices at major ski resorts, This imbalance between supply and demand is particularly evident in Beijing and in Hebei province, which are home to some of the country's premier winter sports destinations, Zhang said, adding that on weekends and during holidays, the ski resorts in these areas are often overwhelmed by crowds, leading to a subpar consumer experience and inefficient service. By taking a page from the playbooks of these global winter sports hubs, China's domestic ski resorts can explore innovative ways to maintain engagement and drive visitation during the non-snow season, Zhu said.