Winter sports development sets hot pace

Sedlinger, the consultant, said a significant number of more experienced Chinese snow sports enthusiasts have developed a passion for and a long-term interest in their hobby over the past 10 years. They will eventually travel abroad, with international destinations benefiting as a result.

However, he said that while staging the Beijing Winter Olympics next year has encouraged Chinese to take to the ice and snow, winter sports in the country are still in their infancy, so having a nuanced and targeted marketing strategy is likely to pay off.

"A new breed of skiers in China, looking for specific qualities typically found at an international destination, may also bring their own ideas, habits and requirements with them, offering a lot of potential to these destinations if they are willing and able to embrace it," Sedlinger said.

"Destinations which follow a long-term plan and are able to build a consistent and credible brand, as well as standing out from their competitors, will ultimately succeed and become popular among Chinese and other Asian consumers."

Wolfgang Arlt, director of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, agreed and said destinations need to pay more attention to the "unique characteristics" of Chinese skiers and snowboarders.

"They are very different. A few may be so keen on their sport that they stay on the slopes all day, but most will just ski for one to two hours and spend the rest of the time doing other things," he said.

"Due to a lack of time, most Chinese will only stay one or two days for skiing. They are also attracted by other activities such as sightseeing and shopping."

Tourism officials in Otztal, an Alpine valley in the Austrian state of Tyrol, believe the region's wide variety of winter tourism activities led to it becoming the most popular winter destination for Chinese visitors to the country, based on figures from the Austrian National Tourist Office.

Daniel Goldstein, international market manager for the Otztal Tourism Board, responsible for tourism promotion at the resort and in Soelden and Obergurgl, said: "We offer a range of activities for winter sports fans and tourists. It is not only about skiing in winter.

"Visitors can go snowshoe hiking, tobogganing, ice skating, cross-country skiing, or visit 007 ELEMENTS, the James Bond cinematic installation in Soelden, where locations in and around the resort were used in the film Spectre. Those visiting the Aqua Dome can indulge in a day of relaxation at the thermal spa.

"Skiing itself is not the reason Chinese visitors book a holiday in Soelden, as these guests also tend to take advantage of the different attractions in Otztal."