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A tourist plays "snow bowling" in Urumqi, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on December 13, 2024. Photo: VCG

After a night of heavy snow, Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and its surrounding areas became a pristine white wonderland. Local ski resorts such as the Silk Road Mountain Resort buzzed with activities as snow groomers made hard pack on the slopes to welcome visitors from across China and overseas.

Wang Shufan, a ski coach at the Silk Road Mountain Resort, told the Global Times that he has observed a significant increase in the number of skiers since the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in his work, and this trend has continued to the present day.

Data from popular tourism platforms shows that in November 2024, ski ticket bookings in Urumqi and Altay increased by more than two-fold compared to the same period last year. For example, as China has granted unilateral visa-free entry to travelers from 38 nations including Japan, allowing stays of up to 30 days, bookings from Japanese tourists to Urumqi surged by 162 percent, making it the second fastest-growing ski destination among Japanese tourists.

A significant growth in ice-and-snow tourism across China, with Xinjiang emerging as a hotspot, has been observed and proved. Like other regions such as Northeast China, where ice-and-snow resources are abundant, Xinjiang has not only been riding the wave of the country's growing enthusiasm for winter tourism but also trying to leverage its unique cultural elements to develop the wave into a sustainable boom.

Cultural celebration

From a 68-year-old skier who has gone skiing for more than 20 years to local elementary school students who just started learning basic moves of the sport, more visitors stand on the top of different-level slopes at the resort after the heavy snow, enjoying the scenery of the snow-covered forest while gliding down the slopes.

Wang noted that he also taught some overseas skiers from countries such as Canada and Russia and they were stunned by the unexpected natural scenery on both sides of the slopes, like gliding in the embrace of the forest.

Li Jiaxi, deputy manager of the ski resort, told the Global Times that Xinjiang's natural advantages of ice-and-snow tourism - such as its long-lasting snow cover, high-quality powder snow, and ski seasons that extend well into spring - are undeniable, but the measures to blend these natural assets with cultural elements also contribute to creating an immersive winter experience for visitors.

An ice-and-snow festival kicked off in the beginning of December in Urumqi, which has been consecutively held for over 20 years, according to Li. More than 200 events have been launched during the festival, blending winter sports with cultural heritages and local cuisines.

The exhibition area dedicated to intangible cultural heritage products emerged as a focal point of the festival. It featured an array of exquisitely crafted items with local characteristics, providing visitors a chance to be engaged in the creation of intangible cultural artifacts in the ice-and-snow environment.

Following this, another cultural activity, Ice and Snow Temple Fair, will be launched at the end of December. It will combine ice-and-snow landscape with folk dances, handicraft displays, and local dishes like lamb kebabs and hand-pulled noodles. These cultural elements add depth and diversity to the tourism experience, making ice and snow attractive not only to thrill-seekers but also to families and cultural enthusiasts.

Tourists experience snowmobiles in Hutubi county, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Photo: VCG

Innovative paths

Xinjiang's success is part of a broader trend of winter tourism growth across China. Other regions are also capitalizing on the growing interest in ice and snow activities, contributing to the nationwide boom in winter tourism. For instance, Harbin in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, home to the popular Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, has been a major winter attraction. This annual event features massive ice sculptures illuminated by colorful lights, creating a dazzling spectacle that draws millions of visitors.

Setting it apart from these attractions in other regions is a challenging job. Xinjiang has been exploring its unique path through innovative methods to maintain the sustainable development of ice-and-snow tourism.

In Mazhuangzi village, several horse riders galloped on the dedicated ice-and-snow running area and were engaged in a traditional game of the Kazaks, which is scrambling a sheep on the horseback. This is a performance for visitors.

Zhang Xiaobin, deputy president of the Xinjiang Horse Industry Association, told the Global Times that blending the local ancient horse culture with the ice-and-snow tourism is their new idea to enrich visitors' experience. Tourists not only can take a leisurely horseback ride or gallop through the snowy environment but also have the option to appreciate a winter equestrian competition on the snow.

Although some scenic areas such as Tianshan Valley enter the traditional low season in winter, the administrative staff have still been carrying out some innovative measures to attract more visitors. Delinaer, tourist guide of the Tianshan Valley known for its abundant plant resources, told the Global Times that they launched a new event, allowing visitors to ride or take the snowmobile shuttling in the forest covered by thick snow.

"Lots of younger visitors fell in love with thrilling experience on the snowmobile. This has been one of our star events," he said.