Winter resorts get ski lift
With soaring interest driven by the upcoming Games, the country's ice and snow sports venues are gearing up for a bright future, Yang Feiyue reports.
The successful bid for the Winter Olympics has already sparked public interest in winter sports, with a growing number of participants over the past few years.
"We saw a significant increase in winter travelers last year," says Gu Jianfeng, who runs a private travel agency focusing on Yanqing tours.
Gu received more than 13,000 winter travelers in 2020. This year, he has catered to 16,000 customers so far.
When Gu founded the company in 2015, he says that most of his ski enthusiast friends would choose Northeast China's Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces.
"It is the improving local skiing conditions and hotel facilities that have enticed winter travelers," Gu says.
"My friends and customers see it from the point of view that if Yanqing can host the Winter Olympics, it must have great ski resources."
Li Wei says the changes around him are evident.
"The place where the Winter Olympics town is located used to be overwhelmingly inhospitable," Li recalls when he visited the Xidazhuangke village in 2017.
"There was no internet network or roads, but now we have roads up the mountain, and even cable cars," he says.
Li is convinced that all these positive changes will enable him to work full time in the field of winter sports after the Olympics.
"I'm optimistic about the future. I believe more people will come here to have fun in the winter after the Olympic facilities are repurposed for public use," he says.
"I'm looking forward to sharing the charm of winter sports with more people."
Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn
