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Visitors ski at a resort in Chongli, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province. (Photo: China News Service/ Tan Yuhao)
China’s ice and snow economy is projected to reach 1.0053 trillion yuan (approximately $140 billion) in 2025, according to media reports, citing the China Ice and Snow Industry Development Research Report (2025) released at the recent World Winter Sports Expo (WWSE).
The country has already met its goal of involving 300 million people in winter sports, creating a broad consumer base that now includes families and older adults alongside early-stage enthusiasts, said the report. A full industrial chain has also been established, covering equipment manufacturing, event operation, skill training, tourism, and leisure.
It pointed out that the sector must now shift from rapid growth toward high-quality development. Challenges including upgrading facilities, improving international competitiveness and addressing regional imbalances remain, according to industry experts.
Zou Xinxian, chief expert at the Beijing Winter Olympics Culture and Ice & Snow Sports Development Research Base, stressed the need for improvements in both quality and quantity on the supply side, including upgrading facilities through intelligent renovation and innovating product matrices using digital technology to expand market reach.
Zou also called for increased research and investment to cultivate internationally competitive domestic brands and tackle core technologies in the equipment sector.
Hao Lishun of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said that new technologies - such as 5G, AI, and VR - are driving the high-quality development of snow and ice equipment.
Regionally, northeast and north China are focusing on building world-class resort destinations, while Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is positioning itself as China's "third pole" for snow and ice tourism. Southern provinces, meanwhile, are expanding through indoor skiing.
Zou said that achieving coordinated development of the ice and snow industries in southern and northern China while avoiding homogeneous competition would be crucial.
To address regional imbalances, the expert suggested coordinated long- and short-term policies while stressing the need for a coordinated policy framework and tailored regional strategies.
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