Popularity of ice and snow sports fuels related industries

China's ice and snow economy continues to heat up, as the launch ceremony of the 2026 National Ice and Snow Consumption Season kicked off in January in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, marking a key initiative under the "Shopping in China" program.

The event, initiated by the Ministry of Commerce and designed to leverage the country's ice and snow resources, aims to drive growth through innovative "ice and snow +" consumption scenarios. The initiative seeks to introduce new high-quality products and services, create an international consumption environment, and stimulate demand for winter sports and tourism, while advancing the development of the ice and snow economy.

The China Ice and Snow Industry Development Research Report (2025), compiled by World Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo and published in October 2025, underscores the rapid expansion of China's winter sports sector. The report said the industry's total scale was expected to have topped 1 trillion yuan ($143.9 billion) by the end of 2025. Since the country's successful hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics, China's ice and snow industry has exploded in size, growing from 270 billion yuan in 2015 to 980 billion yuan in 2024.

China has developed a product system covering 15 major categories of ice and snow equipment, achieving full industrial chain coverage — from personal gear to venue facilities, and from recreational sports to professional competitions. This includes personal gear like ski suits, protective equipment, goggles for skiing enthusiasts, large-scale facility equipment such as ski lifts, snowmakers, and even innovative tools like intelligent ice sculpture robots.

Significant progress has been made in the field of high-end ice and snow facilities and equipment, said Adam Zhang, founder of Key-Solution Sports Consulting.

"As a major manufacturing country and a manufacturing powerhouse, once market demand becomes clear, supply capacity will swiftly follow," Zhang said. "It is anticipated that in the future, Chinese manufacturing — particularly through the integration of smart manufacturing, robotics, AI and other technologies — will achieve iterative innovation in the field of ice and snow equipment."

Technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics are being deeply integrated into the ice and snow economy, with technological elements being infused across all aspects — from hardware equipment and software systems to teaching, training and sports experiences, he added.

This infusion of technology will propel the country's ice and snow industry to achieve a "latecomer advantage", fostering a development trend where it catches up to and surpasses others, Zhang noted.

Participation in ice and snow sports has surged, with the 2024-2025 season generating over 187.5 billion yuan in consumption — marking a 25 percent increase from the previous year.

According to the Huabei app, a leading digital platform for skiers in China that tracks over 10 million registered users, skiing enthusiasts now reflect a more diverse profile. The platform reveals that 41 percent of skiers are male, with 68 percent preferring snowboarding. Furthermore, 25 percent of surveyed skiers visit resorts once a season, while 12 percent make more than 10 trips. This data highlight the growing demand for specialized products and experiences.

Ye Bo, general manager of GSPO Sports, a Beijing-based company, emphasized the growing market opportunity in recent years. Founded in 2017, GSPO has capitalized on China's expanding demand for snowboarding gear, a segment particularly popular among younger consumers post-Winter Olympics. Despite a brief downturn in the market, Ye said that sales of their own brand, Yepro, have grown 20 percent annually in the domestic market, driven by increased consumer interest and technological innovations in their product lineup.

"Our focus on snowboard bindings and accessories has resonated with the market," Ye said. "We're investing in research and development, particularly in binding technology, where we've created manual adjustments that save users valuable time when changing on the slopes."

With domestic brands like Yepro offering competitive pricing — roughly 20 to 50 percent lower than foreign counterparts — Ye believes Chinese companies are well-positioned to capitalize on the industry's growth, leveraging local supply chains and innovative technology.

Harbin, known as China's "Ice City", has seen remarkable growth in its ice and snow sector. As of November 2025, more than 2,300 enterprises were involved in the local ice and snow industry, with over 1,000 new companies launched in the past three years — reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 23.6 percent. This growth spans not only tourism but the entire industrial chain, which includes equipment manufacturers and service providers.

Harbin's ice and snow economy is increasingly robust, with over 80 enterprises focusing on manufacturing ski equipment such as snowboards and ice skates.

Harbin Zhongcheng Technology Development Co Ltd's innovative "Snow Lion" machine, for instance, is capable of pulverizing, pushing and shoveling ice and snow, and features an intelligent control system that optimizes its operation in real time based on the thickness of the ice and the temperature, said Yuan Zhihui, a board member of Harbin Zhongcheng Technology Development.

Over the years, the company has invested heavily in research and technology, collaborating with five top universities in the province to develop self-created technologies for snow shoveling machines. The company has seen revenue grow by 25 percent year-on-year, boosted by supporting policies and measures from the government and industry associations, as well as rising demand for the ice and snow industry.

The ice and snow economy shows no signs of slowing down. Supported by policy initiatives such as the "Shopping in China" campaign, which aims to promote new consumption scenarios, the sector is positioned for continued expansion. From snow sports equipment to tourism, the ice and snow industry's rapid growth is cementing its status as a key driver of China's winter sports economy, said Zhang of Key-Solution Sports Consulting.

wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn