On a wintry weekend with temperatures hovering just above freezing, an indoor ski dome in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, buzzed with the sound of beginners shrieking their way down the slopes, many of whom had never touched a pair of skis before.
在一个气温徘徊在零上几度的寒冬周末，位于中国东部江苏省无锡市的一座室内滑雪馆里，初学者的尖叫声此起彼伏。许多人滑下雪坡时都尖叫连连，其中不少人还是第一次接触滑雪板。
"It's my first try," said local resident Wang Yue, still brushing off snow after a fall. "But I've already picked up the basics. I'm determined to become a cool, skilled skier this winter."
“这是我第一次尝试，”当地居民王悦（音译）说着，仍在拍打身上的积雪，刚摔了一跤，“但我已经掌握了基本技巧。这个冬天，我决心成为一名酷炫又技术娴熟的滑雪者。”
The Wuxi facility, mid-sized by regional standards, draws nearly half a million visits a year and generates more than 180 million yuan ($25.5 million) in sports-related spending. It is one example of how regions without natural snowfall are cashing in as China's winter sports season gains momentum.
无锡滑雪场按地区标准属于中型规模，每年接待游客近50万人次，创造逾1.8亿元人民币（合2550万美元）的体育相关消费。随着中国冬季运动热潮兴起，该滑雪场成为无天然降雪地区借势盈利的典型案例。
As temperatures drop, more regions are turning ice and snow into economic activity. According to an official industry report, China's ice-and-snow sector is expected to surpass 1 trillion yuan this year.
随着气温下降，越来越多的地区正将冰雪转化为经济活动。根据官方行业报告，中国冰雪产业规模今年有望突破1万亿元。
Sports boom
体育热潮
Northern China, where winter arrives early and lasts long, remains the country's primary arena for winter sports. On Nov 29, the northernmost city of Mohe in Heilongjiang province welcomed its first snow-tourism charter train of the season as more than 300 travelers set out to chase ice sculptures, forest landscapes and fresh powder.
中国北方地区冬季来得早、持续时间长，仍是全国冬季运动的主要舞台。11月29日，黑龙江省最北端的城市漠河迎来今冬首列冰雪旅游专列，300余名游客踏上追寻冰雕、森林景观和新雪的旅程。
In Harbin's Yabuli, a steady stream of visitors has arrived since the ski resort opened its slopes on Nov 7. "We now receive more than 2,000 visitors a day, up 12 percent from last year," said Yang Xiaodong of Yabuli's culture and tourism department.
自11月7日哈尔滨亚布力滑雪场开放雪道以来，游客络绎不绝。亚布力管委会文旅处负责人杨晓冬表示：“目前日均接待游客超过2000人次，较去年同期增长12%。”
As a competition venue for this year's Asian Winter Games, Yabuli plans to stage more than 30 professional events and public activities during the new snow season. It will also addacrobatic shows and other entertainment to enrich visitor experiences.
作为今年亚洲冬季运动会的比赛场地，亚布力计划在新雪季期间举办30余场专业赛事和公众活动，还将新增杂技表演等娱乐项目，丰富游客体验。
Data from travel platform Trip.com showed that from November to February, bookings for ice-and-snow attractions are expected to jump around 70 percent year-on-year, with inbound tour reservations rising by about half. Ski resort ticket bookings have surged more than twofold since early November.
旅游平台携程数据显示，11月至次年2月期间，冰雪旅游产品预订量预计同比增长约70%，入境旅游产品预订量增长约50%。自11月初以来，滑雪场门票预订量已激增逾两倍。
Such sports fever is not limited to snowfields. Across stadiums, courts and parks in cities and villages, sports are increasingly being linked with travel, food and shopping in ways that are supporting domestic demand.
这种体育热潮不仅限于雪场。在城乡各体育场馆、球场和公园里，体育活动正日益与旅游、餐饮和购物相结合，从而支撑着国民需求。
Few stories illustrate this better than Jiangsu's grassroots football sensation, the Su Super League. What began as a provincial competition this year exploded into a national phenomenon, with 85 matches, 2.43 million in-personspectators, average attendance nearing 30,000 and 2.2 billion online views.
没有什么故事比江苏草根足球的奇迹——苏超联赛更能说明这一点了。这项今年刚起步的省级赛事，已迅速发展成为全国性的现象：共举办85场比赛，吸引243万现场观众，场均上座率接近3万人次，线上观看量达22亿次。
To create a stadium atmosphere for fans unable to secure tickets, organizers set up 573 fan zones across the province, each with giant screens, food stalls, retail booths and late-night entertainment.
为让未能购得门票的球迷也能感受现场氛围，主办方在全省设立了573个球迷区，每个区域都配备巨型屏幕、小吃摊、零售摊位及深夜娱乐活动。
"Every one yuan spent on a ticket drove 7.3 yuan in additional consumption," said Wu Haiyun, a provincial commerce official, adding that the league brought more than 38 billion yuan in related spending.
江苏省商务厅副厅长吴海云表示：“每消费1元购票款，就能带动7.3元的额外消费。”他补充表示联赛带动了超过380亿元的相关消费。
Sports-led travel has become one of China's social trends. During the 15th National Games held across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in November, Guangzhou launched 50 sightseeing routes linking venues and city landmarks, alongside more than 2,000 cultural events.
体育旅游已成为中国社会潮流之一。11月在粤港澳大湾区举行的第十五届全国运动会期间，广州推出了50条串联赛场与城市地标的观光路线，并举办了2000余场文化活动。
Data from Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, showed that during the Games, hotel spending in Guangzhou rose 114.5 percent year-on-year, while leisure and entertainment consumption climbed more than 134 percent. Sales of Games-themed merchandise are expected to reach 1 billion yuan.
抖音数据显示，全运会期间广州酒店消费同比增长114.5%，休闲娱乐消费增幅超过134%。全运会主题商品销售额预计将达10亿元。
Shanghai delivered a similar surge during its National Day holiday sports calendar. Six major events, including the 2025 Shanghai Masters and the World Rowing Championships, drew more than 800,000 spectators. Luxury hotels hit near-full capacity, and sales in key commercial districts rose 42 percent year-on-year.
国庆假期期间，上海的体育赛事同样掀起热潮。包括2025年上海大师赛和世界赛艇锦标赛在内的六项重大赛事，共吸引逾80万观众到场观赛。豪华酒店入住率逼近满额，核心商业区销售额同比增长42%。
Beijing, hosting the 2025 China Open and WTT China Smash, also saw unprecedented crowds. The tennis tournament alone drew 360,000 spectators, generating record ticket revenue and brisk sales of licensed merchandise.
北京作为2025年中国网球公开赛和WTT中国网球公开赛的举办地，也迎来了空前的观众规模。仅网球赛事就吸引了36万名观众，创下门票收入纪录，并带动了授权商品的热销。
Growth engine
增长引擎
"Sports events, culture and tourism have formed a new ecosystem," said Si Zengchuo, a professor at Jiangsu Normal University. "This integrated model—combining sightseeing, shopping and event experiences—is now spreading nationwide."
江苏师范大学教授司增绰（音译）指出：“体育赛事、文化与旅游已形成新的生态系统。这种集观光、购物与赛事体验于一体的融合模式，正在全国范围内推广。”
The rise in sports spending aligns with a broader push to upgrade the consumer economy. According to China's latest blueprint, the total output of the sports industry will exceed 7 trillion yuan by 2030, driven by event-related spending and the fusion of sports, culture and tourism.
体育消费的增长与推动消费经济升级的整体趋势相契合。根据中国最新规划，到2030年，体育产业总产值将突破7万亿元，其增长动力主要来自赛事相关消费以及体育、文化和旅游产业的融合发展。
To accelerate that momentum, Jiangsu has announced plans to expand event-related consumption scenarios, turning stadiums, sports parks and outdoor campsites into immersive commercial hubs.
为加速这一势头，江苏宣布计划拓展赛事相关消费场景，将体育场馆、运动公园和户外营地打造成沉浸式商业中心。
Local authorities are encouraging the rollout of sportsvouchers, spending rebates and discount programs. Integrated packages bundling tickets, transport, hotels, dining and cultural attractions are being explored across the province.
地方政府正积极推广体育活动代金券、消费返现及折扣计划。全省范围内正探索推出整合套票方案，涵盖门票、交通、酒店、餐饮及文化景点等项目。
The eastern manufacturing hub also aims to boost its sports equipment sector by building industrial clusters with annual output of more than 3 billion yuan each, focusing on outdoor gear, fitness facilities and materials for sports venues.
江苏省这一东部制造业中心还计划通过建设年产值均超过30亿元的产业集群，重点发展户外装备、健身器材和体育场馆材料，以推动其体育器材产业的升级。
To spur winter consumption, several northern regions have introduced "snow break", encouraging schools and families to embrace winter sports programs. Ski resorts are offering winter camps, cultural workshops and discounted family packages.
为提振冬季消费，北方多个地区推出“雪假”政策，鼓励学校和家庭参与冬季运动项目。滑雪场纷纷推出冬季营地、文化工作坊及家庭优惠套餐。
Transport authorities, meanwhile, are adding seasonal trains and flights to meet travel demand. Some railway lines now allow passengers to carry ski equipment on board and offer designated storage space.
与此同时，交通部门正增开季节性列车和航班以满足出行需求。部分铁路线路现允许乘客携带滑雪装备上车，并提供专用存放空间。
Experts say such measures are turning sports into a driver of economic vitality. According to China's General Administration of Sport, the country's sports industry has grown at an average annual rate of more than 10 percent over the past five years.
专家指出，这些举措正推动体育成为经济活力的引擎。据中国国家体育总局统计，过去五年间，我国体育产业年均增速超过10%。
Expanded facilities have also boosted participation. By the end of 2024, China boasted 4.84 million sports venues, averaging 3 square meters of sports area per person. The number of ski resorts alone had jumped 136 percent since 2018, rising from 1,133 to 2,678.
设施扩建也推动了参与度提升。截至2024年底，中国拥有484万处体育场馆，人均体育场地面积达3平方米。仅滑雪场数量就较2018年激增136%，从1133个增至2678个。
"Venues are the foundation, but the real shift happens beyond the arena," said Ding Xiang, an associate professor at Nanjing University. "People are finding emotional connection and even cultural identity through sports in a city, and that's where the long-term economic value lies."
南京大学副教授丁翔指出：“场馆是基础，但真正的转变发生在场馆之外。人们通过城市体育活动建立情感纽带，甚至形成文化认同，这才是长远经济价值所在。”
spectators
n./spekˈteɪ.t̬ɚ/
（尤指）现场观众
voucher
n./ˈvaʊ.tʃɚ/
代金券
acrobatic
adj./ˌæk.rəˈbæt̬.ɪk/
杂技的
