Southern China Emerges as Unexpected Hub for Winter Sports
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Hangzhuo: Winter tourism is no longer confined to China’s snow-laden northeast. In warmer provinces like Zhejiang and Guangdong, ski resorts and indoor ice complexes are attracting growing crowds, signaling a new wave of enthusiasm for winter sports among southern Chinese holidaymakers.
At SkyLand Ski Resort in Anji County, Zhejiang Province, instructors were kept busy throughout the nine-day Spring Festival holiday, teaching dozens of first-time skiers daily. “Seeing visitors enjoy their first experience on snow is very rewarding,” said Wang Fang, a ski coach at the resort.
Resorts in Zhejiang, traditionally far from the country’s “snow belt,” are drawing thousands of visitors per day. Li Yang, marketing director at SkyLand, noted that many are young people seeking novel experiences, along with families introducing children to skiing for the first time.
Experts credit a combination of snowmaking technology, upgraded facilities, and indoor ski resorts for this southern surge.
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Jiangnan Tianchi Ski Resort and Wansongling Ski Resort in Zhejiang have modernized snowmaking equipment and expanded trails, while indoor complexes like Qianhai Snow World in Shenzhen offer year-round skiing even in snowless regions.
The Shenzhen facility welcomed over 120,000 visitors during the recent holiday period, including tourists from Hong Kong and Macao.
Online trends reflect this shift. Searches for “indoor ski resorts” surged 117 percent year-on-year in Shanghai, while interest in ski equipment has risen in parallel, according to Meituan.
The boom in southern winter tourism aligns with national priorities. The State Council aims to grow China’s ice and snow economy to 1.2 trillion yuan (about 173 billion US dollars) by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030.
Investments in indoor ice and snow facilities are increasingly concentrated in the south, which accounted for 30 percent of heavy-asset winter tourism projects in 2025.
“In southern China, a market-driven and tech-supported winter sports economy is taking shape,” said Li Qidi, a physical education expert in Zhejiang. “People are seeking more specialized and personalized sports experiences, reflecting a growing focus on quality of life.”
As the southern provinces embrace skiing, skating, and curling, winter tourism is steadily shifting from a regional niche to a nationwide leisure trend, proving that snow isn’t the only path to icy excitement.
