As many cities in China are hit by record-high temperatures this summer, ice and snow sports have become increasingly popular among residents looking to escape the broiling summer heat.
China has "popularized ice and snow sports from a small minority of people to the general public, from certain regions to the whole country, and from winter to the entire year", said Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski Federation.
Ice and snow sports have been gaining steam in China following the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.
It is expected that China's ice and snow leisure sites will receive over 520 million visits, with its revenue exceeding RMB 720 billion (USD 100.24 billion) during 2024-25, according to a report released by the China Tourism Academy.
In Shanghai, an indoor ski resort covering over 90,000 square meters will open in the first half of 2024, while in South China's metropolis of Shenzhen, a tourism project with an "ice and snow world" theme and an investment of over RMB 29.6 billion will be put into use in November 2025.
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