Tourists ride snowmobiles at Paomaling Scenic Area in Jinan of Shandong. [Photo/WeChat account:  jinanwildzoo]

This winter, ice and snow tourism in Shandong saw a surge in popularity, with orders for ice and snow equipment also increasing, thanks to efforts by various places in Shandong to explore and cultivate the ice and snow economy.

Traditionally, winter has been a quiet season for tourism in Shandong, but this year, the situation has taken a turn. During the Spring Festival holiday, 200 monitored scenic spots in Shandong received a staggering 26.49 million visitors, generating an operating income of 1.18 billion yuan ($163 million) and marking impressive increases of 42.3 percent and 93.2 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last year. The number of overnight visitors and their length of stay in Shandong also increased significantly during the period.

Recognizing the added value brought by the snow and ice economy, more and more tourism spots in Shandong introduced snow and ice-related activities. Weihai unveiled 30 distinctive products and routes under five major themes. Qingdao organized 253 activities and launched six popular Spring Festival travel routes as well as 85 preferential policies and 76 varieties of food. Meanwhile, in Jinan, activities have been introduced to provide a diverse array of recreational choices for visitors.

Similarly, the snow and ice equipment industry also experienced an unusual boom during the off-season.

Shandong Jianhua Zhongxing Gloves Co Ltd, which has been engaged in the production of ski gloves for over 20 years, can produce over 4 million pairs of gloves annually. In 2023, the company's revenue reached 130 million yuan. This year, domestic orders for ski gloves have surged, constituting 7 percent of the company's revenue.

Moreover, Weihai Yunzhen Clothing Co Ltd, specializing in professional skiwear design and manufacturing, has seen a significant increase in demand. While in the past, only two or three professional skiwear brand companies sought their services, this year, over a dozen companies commissioned dozens of skiwear designs.