Winter wanderlust creates snowball effect for economy

Policy support

Noting the growing desire and spending power for winter tourism and sports, as well as the sector's vast potential, governments at various levels have taken steps to promote the industry's development.

This winter, several provinces have successively announced "snow vacations" for primary and secondary school students.

Altay in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region announced its first "snow vacation" from Dec 1 to Dec 5 for students under compulsory education, while the regional capital Urumqi rolled out a nine-day snow vacation from Nov 29 to Dec 7.

Students under compulsory education in Jilin province in Northeast China also enjoyed their first five-day "snow vacation" starting Dec 3.

During the snow vacations, diversified entertainment and educational tour products were offered at discounted prices. In Jilin, for example, 171 A-rated winter scenic spots and 39 qualified ski resorts and skating venues were opened free of charge to primary and secondary school students, with discounted tickets available for their parents.

The province also encouraged employees to take paid leave to accompany their children during the snow vacation, and required schools not to organize teaching activities or assign homework during the break.

Figures from the Jilin provincial government show that the province's first snow vacation benefited 1.63 million students from 2,379 schools and invigorated the local tourism market. Data from China UnionPay Merchant Services Payment Inc showed that during the five-day snow vacation, major ski resorts across the province saw tourist numbers surge, while the 171 A-rated scenic spots recorded year-on-year increases of 83 percent in visitor numbers and 53 percent in tourism revenue.

In addition to regions with natural advantages for winter tourism and sports, several eastern provinces with milder climates have also stepped up efforts to tap into the winter economy.

Zhejiang province issued a notice in May 2025 encouraging counties and cities such as Lin'an, Tonglu and Anji to develop into winter tourism destinations. The provincial government said it would provide strong support for eligible localities applying to become national-level skiing and leisure resorts, and encouraged the development of winter gear and apparel industries.

In November 2024, the State Council, China's Cabinet, issued guidelines on boosting the ice and snow economy, setting targets of 1.2 trillion yuan by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030.

The guidelines outlined measures including encouraging children and youth participation in winter sports, improving infrastructure and services, fostering leading brands and enterprises, and deepening international cooperation in the winter economy.

Zhang Jinshan said China's winter industry still has significant growth potential given the country's current economic scale and population. "The ice and snow industry is still in a rapid development stage and will continue to expand as more people participate in winter tourism and sports," he said.

chengsi@chinadaily.com.cn