A woman enjoys skiing at a ski resort in Dongying, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 2, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

China's snow-related sports tourists will reach 300.5 million during the 2021-22 winter season, with snow tourism revenues expected to reach 323.3 billion yuan ($50.73 billion), according to a report released by the China Tourism Academy (CTA).

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of China's snow sports tourists, boosted by Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, increased to 254 million, compared with 170 million recorded in 2017, which is likely to bring the country's aim of having 300 million people engaged in winter sports become a reality.

According to a survey released by the CTA, the Beijing Winter Olympic Games has ignited public interest in snow tourism, with 90.1 percent of a survey respondents having already participated in snow sports. 

Due to COVID-19, local residents have become the major patrons of China's ski fields and snow resorts. From 2020 to 2021, per capita consumption of ice and snow tourism in China reached 1,061 yuan, 286 yuan higher than that of China's overall tourism industry in 2020.

The report said that since 2016, China has completed 128 snow related transport projects, including rail links, highways and transportation hubs, representing a total investment of 2.47 trillion yuan. From 2018 to 2021, the country delivered 157 large-scale ice-snow construction projects, with an investment of 1 trillion yuan.

Han Yuanjun, a deputy researcher from the CTA said that China's snow sports tourism still had significant room to grow. After the Beijing Winter Games, the country should promote duty free shopping and digital snow sports, in a bid to enhance the international attractiveness of China's winter sports sector.

Global Times