Except for the country's northeastern provinces, the popularity of most ice and snow sports in China has long been insignificant. The geography in most regions of China is not ideal for winter sports, and the high cost of constructing and maintaining ski resorts and indoor skating venues also limited the development of the sector in the country.
Over the last decade, thanks to the rising level of income in China, the influence of social media, and the recently held
2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, more Chinese people have been able to participate in ice and snow sports. Various local governments have also introduced policies that focus on the promotion of sports, with substantial expansions of winter sports venues, and growths in related markets.
Increasing popularity
Unlike the relatively stable ice and snow sports markets in North America and Europe, the winter sports sector in China was enjoying a period of high growth until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It remained one of the few markets worldwide that were still growing at a significant rate. In 2019, ski resorts across China
welcomed more than 20 million skiers, reflecting a nine-fold increase from the level at the turn of this century. Due to climatic conditions, winter sports in China enjoy higher popularity in the country's north, with the
majority of skiers found in Beijing and the three northeastern provinces.
More venues
As winter sports gained their prevalence, more venues were opened in China in the past decade. As of April 2022, there were
1,450 ice skating rinks and over 800 ski resorts in the country. While most skiing sites are in the north, ice skating rinks are more evenly distributed in China, thanks to their compact size and the fact that they can be built indoors, independent from climatic constraints. Recreational ice rinks have become standard in many shopping centers and department stores in China, making ice skating even more popular as a recreational activity among its citizens.
Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, the Chinese team
won a record number of medals. The Games also played a vital role in the development of ice and snow sports in China. In March 2016, seven months after winning the bid to host the 2022 Winter Games, the government of Beijing issued the "Advocations on Accelerating the Development of Ice and Snow Sports (2016-2022)" and seven supporting plans. Since then, the government has encouraged residents to take part in winter sports, vigorously promoted ice and snow sports among young people, and included winter sports in compulsory physical education classes in primary and secondary schools. Yet, there is still considerable room for development in winter sports in China. A survey conducted during the 2022 Winter Olympics showed that
only three percent of all respondents with no prior experience had plans to participate in ice and snow sports. With the continuing improvement in living standards, the market for winter sports in China will continue to grow in the coming years.
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