\"Dream of Winter, Love among Asia!\" This winter, China's \"Ice City\" Harbin has once again become a focal point with the upcoming 9th Asian Winter Games. A recent CGTN survey targeting global netizens highlights strong international anticipation for a more open and vibrant China, emphasizing the growing significance of the ice and snow economy as a new growth driver for the Chinese economy.
The Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games follow the successful hosting of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and mark the largest participation in the history of the Asian Winter Games, with an unprecedented number of countries, regions, and athletes taking part.
According to the survey, 96% of respondents believe that the Asian Winter Games will further ignite enthusiasm for ice and snow sports across Asian nations and elevate the global level of these sports. Additionally, 87.8% of participants feel that the Games will enhance exchanges and cooperation among Asian countries. An impressive 94.7% anticipate that China's ongoing optimization of visa-free policies will contribute to a more open and dynamic national landscape.
Data indicates that since the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the number of ice and snow sports enthusiasts in the Chinese mainland has reached 313 million, with 264 million actively participating since the winter of 2023. In this context, 96.6% of respondents agree that international sports events play a crucial role in popularizing and promoting ice and snow sports within China.
Beyond traditional ice and snow tourism hotspots like Harbin, indoor ice and snow venues are emerging in some of China's warmer southern regions. Ice and snow sports are breaking through climatic and geographical barriers, becoming integrated into the daily lives of many residents. Various regions are leveraging their tourism resources to launch integrated commercial, cultural, tourism, and sports activities, such as \"ice and snow + shopping,\" \"ice and snow + food,\" \"ice and snow + tourism,\" and \"ice and snow + sports.\"
A remarkable 91.9% of respondents believe that the \"ice and snow +\" model will drive local consumption upgrades and industrial transformation. Furthermore, 94.7% agree that the ice and snow economy is emerging as a new growth accelerator for the Chinese economy.
In recent years, the development of ice and snow sports and tourism has spurred extensive growth in industrial chains, including equipment manufacturing, education and training, recreational facilities research and development, and cultural creativity.
The survey reveals that 92.1% of respondents are confident that the radiating effect of events like the Asian Winter Games will inject new vitality into China's ice and snow economy. Meanwhile, 95% believe that the prospects for China's ice and snow economy will become even brighter, driven by favorable policies and growing market demand.
This comprehensive survey was released across CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian platforms, garnering participation from 4,607 netizens within the first 24 hours.
Reference(s):
CGTN Poll: Global respondents feel the upturn of China's economy
cgtn.com
