by Xinhua writers Yue Wenwan, Gong Liankang and Yao Yuan

WUHAN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A row of Nordic-style wooden cottages, roofs blanketed with artificial snow, and a 200-meter slope dotted with skiers: a bustling shopping mall in central China's Wuhan is the unlikely setting for this winter wonderland.

Natural snow is a rare sight in the city, which is located in Hubei Province, but that does not douse the growing passion for skiing among residents and tourists. Over the last two months, Wuhan's four indoor ski facilities have welcomed more than 420,000 visitors.

Li Mengshi, a tourist from south China's Guangzhou, was a recent visitor at the WS Bonski ski slope in Wushang Dream Plaza. Arriving with only a small handbag, she represents the new "lightweight" class of Chinese skiers.

"I visited the city's iconic attractions this morning, had a big lunch in the mall, and then took the elevator up here to ski," Li said, adjusting her goggles.

According to Li, a three-hour ski ticket costs 188 yuan (about 27 U.S. dollars), and a day pass is priced at 258 yuan. Both include everything a beginner needs: boots, helmets, and even the thick winter clothing required to endure the indoor temperature of minus 6 degrees Celsius.

"I didn't prepare any gear. It's as easy as going to the cinema," she said.

Li's comments point to a new driver of the ice and snow economy in China's warmer south: indoor ski locations that offer a more affordable alternative to days-long trips to snowy peaks in the north.

Instead, these artificial pistes have been brought directly to potential consumers, appearing in shopping malls and benefiting from subway access and all-inclusive gear rental options. Operators of such facilities brand skiing as an urban leisure activity, looking to draw in amateurs and aficionados alike.

"Since the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, mall ski slopes have become a business model that transforms a previously elite sport into a repeatable urban hobby," said Zhang Desheng, a professor at Wuhan Sports University.

"This is also a significant shift from the past, when skiing was a highly seasonal sport," he said.

According to the General Administration of Sport of China, 55 indoor ski facilities were operating in the country's southern provinces by April 2025. In 2024, Shanghai opened the world's largest indoor skiing location, only to see that record smashed in 2025 by a new facility in Shenzhen.

These indoor facilities, as well as artificial outdoor ski resorts in mountainous areas, have earned south China a seat in the nationwide drive to promote winter sports and tourism.

A report on China's ski industry has revealed a 12.9 percent increase in visits to ski facilities across the country, climbing to 26.05 million during the 2024-2025 winter season. Four provinces south of China's north-south geographic divide -- Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangdong and Sichuan -- ranked among the top 10 provincial-level regions nationwide in ski visits.

POTENTIAL AND PITFALLS

China aims to boost its ice and snow economy as a new source of growth, eyeing an economic scale of 1.2 trillion yuan by 2027, and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030, according to guidelines released by the State Council.

The rise of indoor skiing in southern cities is expected to unlock a long winter sports consumption chain.

Li Jinfeng, a 39-year-old freelancer, visited indoor slopes more than 60 times last year. In addition to a 998-yuan annual pass, he has invested over 7,000 yuan in his own gear, including a professional snowboard and customized boots.

"The long-term cost of skiing is higher than that of many other sports," he said, adding that as one's skills improve, equipment upgrades become almost inevitable. "Snowboards of different lengths and stiffness have a great impact on skiing style and ability."

Despite high market expectations, experts have noted some challenges that southern ski facilities face.

"Unlike outdoor slopes in the north, these indoor facilities generally rely on artificial snow and constant refrigeration, leading to higher operating costs," Zhang said, adding that winter visitor traffic alone is not enough to sustain them.

De-seasonalization is one possible solution. According to Ma Rui, marketing manager of Wuhan Chengjian Bonski, which runs the biggest indoor ski facility in central China, the company operates year-round and has turned the sweltering summer months into a peak ski season.

"We're also pivoting toward youth training to nurture a new generation of high-frequency skiers," Ma noted. "We'll partner with local schools to promote the sport and enlarge the talent pool."

Min Yuze, a 7-year-old primary school student in Wuhan, has spent almost every weekend on the slopes for the past year. He has a formal training session once a week, followed by a day of practice.

"Skiing has improved his balance, but more importantly, it has boosted his focus and resilience," Min's mother said. The family has plans for Min to enter his first competitive race in 2026.

"If he wants to keep skiing, we will support him," she said. ■