China's winter economy heating up rapidly

Snow tourism helps create fresh opportunities on supportive policies

China's ice and snow economy is thriving, turning its natural "cold resources" into a burgeoning "hot economy" for the nation.

From expanding ski resorts to increasing visits by skiers, the rise of snow tourism is creating fresh opportunities for regions across the country as winter takes hold, amid strong support from government policies and infrastructure development.

Zhao Yin, a 28-year-old marketing professional from Shanghai, and her friends visited Songhua Lake Ski Resort in Northeast China's Jilin province late in November.