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Igniting the thrill of ice and snow activities

冰雪，热起来

By Chen Chen □ 陈晨 / 文

Following the successful con- has sold over 10,000 Yunnan snow mountain tour pack-
th
clusion of the 9 Asian Winter Games in ages. Huang Xue has also had the pleasure of witness-
Harbin, the City of Ice and Snow, tourists in ing a memorable moment when a Vietnamese tourist
Yunnan are now enjoying the snow-capped mountains proposed marriage beneath a breathtaking snow-capped
aboard the “Lijiang Snow Mountain Sightseeing Train.” mountain of Yunnan.
At the Shangri-La Ski Resort, skiers are gliding down the “When people think of ice and snow sports, they
slopes as the snow begins to clear. Meanwhile, Kunming’s often envision extreme cold. However, in Yunnan, the
indoor ski resort has made skiing a spontaneous and ac- combination of low latitude and high altitude creates
cessible sport for all. stunning snow-capped mountains that thrive under the
Situated near the Tropic of Cancer, Yunnan Province warm sun. Here, outdoor ice and snow activities are
enjoys a mild climate, with relatively little snowfall. quite comfortable, allowing people to enjoy the thrill
However, this has not deterred the people of Yunnan of winter sports while also immersing themselves in
from embracing their passion for ice and snow. The Yunnan’s rich ethnic customs.” Nguyễn Thu Phương, a
recent hosting of international events such as the 2022 Vietnamese tourist who recently returned from Lijiang,
th
Beijing Winter Olympics and the 9 Asian Winter has already begun planning her next trip to Yunnan at
Games has fueled a vibrant enthusiasm for winter the end of this year for a folk-custom-themed snow
sports among the residents of Yunnan. mountain tour.
Kunming Bonski, an all-season indoor snow field, Once, traveling north or even abroad to enjoy the
is bustling with activity as parent-child groups and snow was a dream for many. Today, the emergence of
tour groups enjoy skiing and other winter activities in ski resorts closer to home has made snow activities
various areas. According to Song Guangxu, the gener- more accessible and commonplace, shifting them away
al manager of Kunming Bonski, there are significant from being considered luxury experiences. In this new
differences in the development of the ice and snow landscape, innovative tourism models such as “ice and
industry between northern and southern regions. In the snow + tourism” and “ice and snow + culture” are en-
north, long, cold winters enable the establishment of riching the experiences available to visitors.
outdoor ski resorts that depend on natural snowfall and In January of this year, the Shangri-La Ski Resort
low temperatures. In contrast, the warmer climate of officially opened its doors to guests, offering fully op-
the south primarily supports indoor ski resorts. Market erational beginner and intermediate ski runs. According
positioning also differs, with the north attracting tour- to General Manager He Chenxi of Diqing Shangri-
ists and focusing on ice and snow tourism as well as La Skiing Tourism Development Co., Ltd., in addition
professional experiences, while the south caters to local to skiing, the area features a variety of entertainment
residents and emphasizes urban leisure sports. options, including snowmobiling. By creatively incor-
The people of Yunnan are not the only ones eager to porating ice and snow elements with the region’s nat-
enjoy the snow; snow enthusiasts from Southeast Asia ural landscapes and ethnic traditions, Diqing’s themed
are also drawn to winter activities. In 2024, Diqing tour—which includes “enjoying the golden mountains
Zang Autonomous Prefecture welcomed over 200,000 bathed in winter sun, skiing in the snow, and birdwatch-
tourists from Southeast Asian countries, marking a ing”—has become extremely popular.
remarkable year-on-year increase of 243%. From No- The appeal of “ice and snow +” continues to grow.
vember of last year through the Spring Festival this Huang Xiaotao, the marketing director of Yunnan Ji-
year, the number of overseas visitors to the Kunming aozishan Scenic Area, noted that ski equipment rental
Jiaozishan Scenic Area—the “seasonal snow mountain shops in Jiaozi Snow Mountain are thriving, with ski
closest to Southeast Asia”—grew nearly threefold com- training institutions emerging to meet increased de-
pared to the previous year, with tourists from Thailand mand. Local farmers’ restaurants have introduced a
and Vietnam comprising the largest groups. range of cultural and entertainment activities, including
Since November of last year, Huang Xue, the brand rice noodle soup sets after a day on the slopes, bonfire
manager of the Lien Minh Van Nam Group Tour, has parties, and ethnic song and dance performances. These
been actively organizing outbound tour groups from secondary consumption opportunities, fueled by ice
Vietnam to Yunnan. The tours to Jiaozishan Snow and snow tourism, have experienced significant growth,
Mountain and Yulong Snow Mountain on Fridays have contributing to the continued expansion of the ice and
become some of her bestsellers. To date, the company snow economy in Yunnan.