China’s winter sports market is in its early stages, as reflected in challenges like the shortage of snowboards available for rent and the airports’ reputation for mishandling ski equipment. However, since the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, public interest in winter sports has grown significantly — and as consumption shifts to experiences, winter sports will not just be a passing fad.
In this report, we analyzed over 290 million social media posts and interviewed winter sports enthusiasts to uncover China’s unique winter sports trends. We explored how enthusiasts’ preferences and behaviors are evolving; how brands, the government, and ski resorts are supporting this growth; and which winter sports and brands are rapidly growing — highlighting key opportunities and challenges for businesses.
Download the winter sports market report:
Some key findings on China’s winter sports market:
- Government support is strong, and winter sports are going mainstream—with nearly 25% of the population getting involved.
- The winter sports market, valued at just RMB 35.1 billion in 2016, more than tripled to RMB 108.3 billion by 2024.
- Despite being scraped in the winter season, 29.4% of posts discussed running, indicating the sport’s non-stop growth and the importance of year-round marketing.
- China is largely a beginner’s market, in terms of both supply (ski resorts) and demand (level of skiers/snowboarders); hence, most opportunities remain in China’s future, while high-level skiers/snowboarders are eager to go abroad.
- As ski resorts continue to develop—offering experiences beyond winter sports such as hot springs, luxury cafés, pop-up stores, and live performances—they are expected to attract a broader range of consumers.
- The visual appeal of winter sports is especially prominent in China. Even non-skiers visit the slopes to capture picture-perfect moments, often dressed in themed outfits, wearing dopamine-colored ski wear (多巴胺色系雪服), or catching a ride with attractive “Didi skiers” (滴滴代滑帅哥).
- Ice climbing and freestyle skiing are the fastest-growing winter sports, each with over 100% year-over-year growth.
- Chinese travelers are incorporating winter sports into both domestic and international trips. They rely on multiple platforms, especially Ctrip, to book their winter sports experiences.
