Beijing Ski Resorts Open for Business on the Weekend, Longfengshan Ski Resort Joins In
According to reports, the most popular winter sports event is about to begin. This weekend, suburban Beijing ski resorts will "cluster" open for business, with Wanlong Bayi offering ski tickets and attracting a large number of people through previous free trial skiing events. Traditional skiing provinces such as Heilongjiang and Liaoning are also making their moves, enticing Beijing citizens with offers, while even international ski resorts are joining in by lowering prices to attract customers.
Weekend "Cluster" Opening
For suburban Beijing ski resorts, November 28th might be an auspicious day. Many ski resorts including Jundushan, Yunfoshan, Shijinglong, and Lianhuashan will open on this day. Last week, most ski resorts offered a free trial skiing period, which led to so many visitors that the resorts had to implement crowd control measures. A relevant official from Shijinglong Ski Resort stated: "This year's opening is two weeks earlier than usual, and the estimated first-day visitor volume could increase by around 20%."
Ski Resorts Outside Beijing Making Big Moves
Ski products from Northeast China have been selling well half a month earlier than usual. According to information from Ctrip Travel Network, skiing tours to Harbin quickly became hot products since November, with booking volumes nearly doubling compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the upcoming 12th International Ice and Snow Festival in Heilongjiang will be another highlight for skiing enthusiasts, inviting Russian and South Korean skiing enthusiasts to participate in Sino-Russian and Sino-Korean skiing competitions. This year, the price of South Korean skiing routes has dropped by 20%, and the price of Japanese hot spring skiing tours has remained stable. Under the stimulation of these affordable prices, Seoul and Hokkaido have become some of the hottest outbound travel destinations recently, with the number of travelers doubling year-on-year.
Best Snow Quality in Recent Years
According to He Ping, chairman of Jundushan Ski Resort, this year’s good temperature conditions allowed ample snowmaking time. Simultaneously, cold weather made the already-made snow less likely to melt, directly improving snowmaking efficiency. Under these favorable conditions, this year's snow quality at the resort is the best in recent years, "especially on the advanced slope, where the snow thickness is the thickest it's been in six years." It was learned that the operating costs of ski resorts this winter have not significantly increased, so there won't be much change in skiing prices, which will remain roughly the same as in previous years.
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Miyun Winter Ice and Snow Festival Launched Yesterday
According to reports, the 2009 Beijing Miyun Winter Ice and Snow Festival officially started yesterday.
It is understood that this ice and snow festival will feature the "Ice Age" Heilongtan Ice Sculpture Art Exhibition. Visitors can admire ice sculpture art works themed around characters from Journey to the West and various cartoon figures inside the scenic area's ice sculpture greenhouse, as well as enjoy the fun of slides, ice cars, and skating.
During the Spring Festival of 2010, the Miyun Tourism Bureau will launch the "Love in Miyun, Celebrating the New Year in Ancient Towns" activity for some impoverished students who cannot return home for the holiday. Through online registration, some students will be arranged to celebrate the New Year for free in the Gubeikou Folk Village on New Year's Eve. Around February 2, 2010, the official website of the Miyun Tourism Bureau will open a registration section for the "Love in Miyun, Celebrating the New Year in Ancient Towns" activity, where impoverished students can register. Guo Lixin, Director of the Miyun County Tourism Bureau, said that all funds for the activity come from donations by tourists and Miyun tourism enterprises. The start of the skiing season in Beijing is half a month earlier than in previous years.