Winter sports here to stay, expansion plans show

As China unveils ambitious plans to boost the winter sports industry with preparations for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics ramping up, observers are calling for solid planning and training to ensure even implementation and sustainability long after the Games are over.

The country is planning to have a total of 650 skating rinks and 800 ski resorts by 2022, laying the foundation for 300 million people to participate in winter sports and related activities.

They are expected to contribute 1 trillion yuan ($148 billion) to the winter sports industry including spending at venues, equipment production and training fees by 2025.