CHANGCHUN, April 7 (Xinhua) -- As the sun glistened on the slopes of Beidahu Ski Resort, skiers in colorful attire celebrated Sunday the closing-day Spring Skiing event, marking the end of a highly successful winter season of 2024-2025 in northeast China's Jilin Province.

Among the crowd, Wang Aibin, a local skiing enthusiast, beamed. "Each season here passes by in a flash, yet it's incredibly rewarding to see people from all over the world enjoying our winter wonderland," he exclaimed.

CULTURAL REVIVAL ON THE SNOWY SLOPES

Jilin's winter season artfully blended ancient mythology with contemporary skiing culture. Leading up to the season's start, local authorities and resorts collaborated to create a unique skiing experience deeply rooted in Chinese traditions.

Resorts designed immersive cultural programs drawing inspiration from classic tales such as "Journey to the West" and "The Legend of the White Snake." When the movie "Ne Zha 2" achieved global popularity, Changchun erected an 18-meter ice sculpture of Nezha and a 16-meter lantern of Ao Bing, attracting numerous tourists.

In ski lodges throughout the province, the aroma of ginseng-infused herbal tea filled the air. Gao Yu, chief physician at Jilin Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, explained, "Alongside providing much-needed warmth, the tea also serves as a wonderful introduction to traditional Chinese medicine for our international guests."

ECONOMIC BOOM: FROM RESORTS TO REGION

The economic impact of the season was significant. From November 2024 to March 2025, Jilin welcomed 170 million domestic tourists, a 35 percent increase year-on-year, with spending reaching 295 billion yuan, a 21 percent increase. Beidahu Ski Resort alone hosted over 1 million visitors, topping China's ski mileage rankings with 4.1959 million kilometers of cumulative distance skied.

In the village of Naitoushan, nestled at the foot of Changbai Mountain, innkeeper Yang Lina experienced this boom firsthand. "Before, our village's income mainly relied on farming. Now, with the influx of tourists, our inns have been fully booked throughout the winter," she said, her face beaming. "The snow has truly brought us prosperity."

With 68 ski resorts and 361 ski trails spanning 1,414 hectares and stretching for 398 kilometers, Jilin Province's ice-and-snow infrastructure caters to skiers of all levels. As of April 1, five Jilin-based ski resorts ranked in the top 30 of China's ski resorts in terms of skiing mileage.

Research on carbon-fiber skis at Jilin University improved skiing performance and enhanced the global market standing of Jilin's ski products. Professor Xin Benlu, who led the research, noted, "Our technology is helping Jilin's ski products gain international recognition."

A VISION FOR YEAR-ROUND TOURISM

The province's success is deeply rooted in its natural advantages, sharing the same Golden Ice and Snow Latitude Belt as the Alps. This region witnessed the establishment of the People's Republic of China's first alpine ski resort, produced its first national skiing champion, and achieved Olympic milestones. Jilin has long been a leader in winter sports.

Furthermore, following Beijing's successful 2015 Olympic bid, Jilin became China's first province to enact specialized ice-and-snow industry policies in 2016, establishing infrastructure funds that catalyzed its current "4+X" industrial ecosystem encompassing sports, culture, equipment manufacturing, and tourism.

However, Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism Deputy Director Jin Zhenlin has even grander plans for the future. "We're committed to creating a four-season tourism ecosystem. By transforming ice castles into summer adventure parks and ski lifts into autumn foliage gondolas, we aim to attract visitors all year round," he said.

This strategy has spurred double-digit growth in domestic tourist arrivals and total tourism revenue. Industry experts believe Jilin's plan to develop a four-season tourism ecosystem is well-timed, considering the increasing global demand for year-round outdoor activities.

Even as spring arrived, Changbai Mountain continued to enchant. The Spring Snow Hiking event attracted 2,000 adventure seekers. Wang Zhen, a tourist from Anhui, was captivated. "The sight of winter and spring coexisting is truly magical. It's like stepping into a fairytale. I can't wait to come back and relive this magic," he said.

As the snow melted, Jilin's winter season left behind a remarkable legacy. By integrating culture, commerce, and community, the province has established a new benchmark for winter tourism, and its journey toward becoming a year-round destination has only just begun. Enditem