SHIJIAZHUANG, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hebei Province in north China, a neighbor to Beijing, has found that the winter chill in its air is producing tangible economic warmth.

This winter, the province is witnessing a cascade of its ice-and-snow enthusiasm from Olympic-grade slopes straight into local factories, thus turning frozen momentum into a sustainable, diversified growth engine.

With high-profile international competitions returning to former Winter Olympic venues, creative "ice-and-snow+" offerings are expanding the experience economy, while a robust homegrown manufacturing sector is rising to meet demand, setting Hebei on a cool-headed path to post-Games prosperity.

The recent 2025-2026 FIS Snowboard & Freeski Big Air World Cup held in the Chongli District of the city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei, which served as a co-host city for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, marked a strong start to the winter season. Held at the same Olympic venues featuring core equipment from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, the event also offered free viewing areas, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in the thrill of snow sports.

Such high-level competitions have accelerated the growth of Chongli's ice-and-snow economy. Since the season began over a month ago, Chongli has received more than 500,000 tourist visits. During the World Cup, daily visitor numbers surged to levels several times more than typical for ordinary days, with Genting Snow Park alone recording over 8,000 visits in a single day.

"Bookings were full during the event," said Guo Qingwei of Zhangjiakou Yunding Miyuan Prince Hotel Management Co., Ltd.

Starting from December, Chongli is expecting to host nearly 10 more international events, alongside numerous national competitions.

Hebei, notably, has adopted a balanced approach to venue utilization by integrating government stewardship with market-driven operations, high-level competitions with public participation, and winter sports with year-round activities. These measures, explained by Li Qi of the Hebei Provincial Sports Bureau, have not only raised the caliber of events and diversified venue functions but also ensured financial viability within two years, establishing a global benchmark for sustainable Olympic legacy.

CROSS-INDUSTRY INTEGRATION

At Wanlong Ski Resort, a creative coffee drink served in locally grown bell peppers has become a must-try for visitors. The barista at the resort revealed that Chongli cultivates 16,000 mu (about 1,067 hectares) of bell peppers, with an annual yield exceeding 70,000 tonnes. The inspiration for the coffee creation stems from the idea of "using a cup of coffee to tell the story of 'ice and snow meeting fertile land.'"

Like this beverage innovation, Chongli is blending snow sports with culture and entertainment. A recent large-scale ethnic dance drama was staged at Thaiwoo Ski Resort, while snowfield music festivals, short plays and seasonal dining events are further enriching the visitor experience.

Such integration extends beyond Chongli. In Zhengding, the newly opened indoor ski resort named BONSKI, one of the largest in northern China, combines skiing with commercial, hospitality and logistics facilities.

"We aim to build a 'business +' ecosystem and explore new models of industry-city integration," said Guo Zhixiong with the project developer, Shenzhen International Holdings Limited. The resort also links with Zhengding's historical and cultural resources, creating an immersive consumption loop of "ice and snow plus ancient town plus night market," Guo further explained.

Powering Hebei's robust ice-and-snow sector is a sound local manufacturing ecosystem. In Zhangjiakou's Xuanhua District, a complete industrial chain has taken shape, producing everything from heavy machinery to specialized personal gear.

A player in this network is Beijing Zumsun Ropeway Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., based in the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Olympic Park. This company manufactures detachable grips for ski lifts, a crucial safety component, using innovatively designed and precision-engineered processes that ensure exceptional reliability. Its output value is projected to surpass 200 million yuan (around 28 million U.S. dollars) this year, noted its general manager Wang Ninggang.

Meanwhile, in Dingzhou, Hebei Welt Sports Goods Co., Ltd. produces intelligent ski simulators that allow beginners to practice safely off the slopes. Integrating training, simulation and real-time data analytics, the company's flagship product has seen sales grow by 30 percent this year to reach 5 million yuan.

Dingzhou hosts several other leading manufacturers whose products span simulation trainers, rink safety systems, curling stones and ice hockey equipment. In the first ten months of 2025 alone, the city's ice-and-snow equipment sector generated 38 million yuan in output value.

Supported by such regional specialization, Hebei has cultivated four major ice-and-snow industrial clusters in Zhangjiakou, Cangzhou, Langfang and Dingzhou, which together have driven the province's total related output value above 15 billion yuan, data from the Hebei provincial sports bureau has revealed. ■