Sales slide on slippery slopes of virus-hit ski venues

But for the COVID-19 epidemic, my wife and I would have ridden our SUV one February weekend to our friend's house in suburban Zhangjiakou, a 20-minute drive from Wanlong Paradise Resort, a ski attraction about 200 km northwest of Beijing.

Although six high-speed trains leave Beijing for this place every day, my wife and I prefer the SUV as we can carry a tent, and some luggage, including a grille. Our host is kind enough to keep meat ready in advance for us to barbecue. We usually arrive at 10 am, and after lunch, we set off to the ski resort for some fun.

But, the novel coronavirus has put paid to any chance of having outdoor fun this winter.

Wang Qiang, an independent ski tutor, will probably agree. He offers lessons to learners at several ski resorts. During the January-February period of 2019, he was so busy he could barely find time to WeChat. A school had even booked a winter camp.

The same period this year, however, has been a contrast. "Am done for this year, mate. Much earlier than expected," Wang said. "I'll cancel the local apartment rental and move back to Beijing to work as a deliveryman for a courier firm."

But he remains hopeful. "Toward the end of 2020, I hope to return to Zhangjiakou－it's still not very far from Beijing, buddy!"

Almost all the skiing venues in China shut for the Spring Festival holiday and didn't re-open later as the epidemic gripped the country, savaging their peak-season business prospects. Now, ski resort operators must wait until next winter to resume operations.

According to a report from the Beijing Ski Association, short-term losses of the sector could exceed 8 billion yuan ($1.14 billion).

"Traditionally, the number of people who go skiing during February and March accounts for 40 percent to 50 percent of the total in a year," said Wu Bin, vice-chairman of the BSA. "The shutdown poured icy waters on the hot sales season that is winter. Catastrophe!"

Peak-season earnings are crucial not only for resorts but makers of ski gear. Some of them are startups. Their dream of securing the proverbial first pot of gold has been blown to smithereens. They are employing new sales strategies but wonder if there would be light at the end of new-market tunnels overseas.

Ricky Liu, a sales agent for a foreign ski gear brand, bemoaned: "Half of the ski gear like boards, jackets, and shoes remains in our warehouse in Tianjin. I helped my company earn 20 million yuan in sales revenue last year, four times that in 2018. But this year－don't even ask."

The irony of abundant snowfall around Beijing this winter is not lost on him. "What a pity! It snowed as many as seven times this winter. But, no hard feelings. There are ski lovers abroad. Ski gear sales here have been tepid this season. Now, I've set my sights on November and December. Demand may yet pick up. Keeping fingers crossed."