China’s Xinjiang emerges as global winter tourism hotspot

Saturday, February 17, 2024

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is rapidly emerging as a burgeoning hub for winter tourism on a global scale. The region boasts an impressive array of 188 ice and snow facilities, as reported by its culture and tourism department.

This extensive collection encompasses 101 ski resorts, 27 ice rinks, and 60 ice and snow amusement parks, ensuring a comprehensive range of winter activities across all 14 provinces and cities within Xinjiang. During the 2022-2023 snow season, the S-level ski resorts in the region welcomed over 2 million visitors, illustrating the area’s growing appeal as a winter destination.

The culture and tourism department has also shared that Xinjiang saw an influx of 117 million tourists in 2023, marking a substantial 265 percent increase from the year before. This surge in visitors contributed to a significant rise in total tourism revenue, which reached nearly 227 billion yuan ($296.72 billion), up by 42 percent.

The region’s appeal to international investors is bolstered by its lengthy winter season, the high quality of its snow, and a burgeoning interest in winter sports within the area. This interest was evident at the 17th Xinjiang Winter Tourism Industry Trade Fair, held in December in the capital, Urumqi, which attracted over 500 companies from both domestic and international markets.

Concurrently, the Jiangjun International Ski Resort was inaugurated, a project developed in collaboration between a Swiss team and local skiing enthusiasts, spanning an impressive area of approximately 30 thousand square meters.

Moreover, Xinjiang is becoming an increasingly attractive locale for ski athletes and instructors. A partnership with the ski academy of Club Med, a holiday center based in France, has led to the region hosting coaches from various countries, including Russia, France, and Finland. These coaches provide training not only to tourists visiting the region but also to local instructors, further enhancing Xinjiang’s position in the global winter sports community.

The transformation of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region into a prominent destination for winter tourism is set to have profound implications for the tourism sector.

The expansion of facilities, combined with a significant rise in visitor numbers and revenue, positions the region as a key player in the international winter sports arena. This development not only enriches the travel and leisure options available to tourists but also fosters economic growth and cultural exchange, promoting Xinjiang as a vibrant, dynamic destination for winter enthusiasts worldwide.

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