Chinese Winter Olympics warms local businesses

Ski lovers receive training at a ski resort in Chongli, Hebei province, on Dec 10, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Bai Liping said he loved skiing, though not an expert in the sport, because ski-fueled snow-tourism in Zhangjiakou has brought him job security.

He runs a small restaurant that serves local cuisine in Chongli district, Zhangjiakou, in North China's Hebei province, where most of the snow-based events of the 2022 Winter Olympics will be held.

Bai said: "My cousin encouraged me to open the restaurant in 2014 when the bid for the Olympics made Chongli famous and her own restaurant became crowded with tourists and ski lovers."

Tempted by the idea of a restaurant full of paying customers, he gave up his old job as a truck driver.

"It was dangerous because I had to keep driving trucks for a long time each day."

But Bai's decision turned out to be right. Tables in his restaurant were always full during the ski season.

"For this season, tourists eating in my restaurant increased by roughly 50 percent compared with the same period last year," Bai said.

According to Bai, most of his customers were from neighboring Beijing and Tianjin.