BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- In Longkou, an east China-situated coastal city, the 9th Asian Winter Games-spurred skiing spree helped local ski resorts teem with more travelers eager to try skiing under the pleasant winter and early spring days there.
In the past, traveler inflows usually declined notably after the Spring Festival holiday, but this year, crowds of skiing lovers are still rushing into the city now, said the head of Nanshan International Ski Resort, a popular local skiing venue.
Stepping into the ski resort, skiing lovers and enthusiasts equipped with gears of varied colors will always find delight from the wide ski runs and enjoy heartfelt excitement from the sport resembling "The Fast and the Furious" on snow.
Setting out from Ji'nan, capital city of Shandong Province where Longkou sits, it took merely less than two hours to travel to Longkou by high-speed trains and experience the joy of skiing in the resort, said a traveler from Ji'nan.
Without having to go to Harbin, Jiang Yan, a Longkou native that studies in Harbin, can now go skiing on her doorstep on vacation days and galloping on the snow in Nanshan International Ski Resort really cheers her up.
In a bid to satisfy the ardent travelers, Nanshan International Ski Resort engaged an extra batch of coaches during the winter vacation, introduced the resort head, highlighting further efforts in enriching its gears, food and related activities.
For starters, the ski resort and other local skiing venues have employed professional coaches to instruct them, which not only brings new jobs, but also provides better experiences for new skiing learners.
Compared with the same period of last year, travelers for the popular ski resort increased by 30 percent so far in 2025 and its coaches are busy every day, according to the resort head.
When local skiing economy is in full swing, restaurants surrounding ski resorts in Longkou are also embracing tremendous customer flows, said a local cuisine operator, adding that it is a common sight for his restaurant and peers to have a fully-booked weekend.
From a niche sport to one loved by many people from near and far, skiing is injecting new impetus into tourism development in Longkou.
(Edited by Duan Jing with Xinhua Silk Road, duanjing@xinhua.org)
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