Swiss ski brand Stockli sees Beijing Olympics as catalyst for China business

GENEVA -- Switzerland's leading producer of skis said the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games has injected fresh momentum in its China business and that he expects to see a double-digit growth in sales over the next few years.

"We believe that even beyond the Olympics, the growth trend in winter sports in China will continue," Christian Gut, chief sales and marketing officer at Stockli Swiss Sports, told Xinhua in an online interview.

"China has the potential to become one of the world's biggest markets in the coming years. It is a very important market for us."

With a history dating back to 1935, the family business sells skis in 30 countries and employs 100 people.

Gut said that the 2022 Olympic Winter Games gave a huge boost to his business.

"In recent years, we have seen massive investments in the Chinese market, in the country's ski resorts." he said.

Gut expects many Chinese skiers to travel to the Swiss mountains once the pandemic-related restrictions are lifted.

"According to our information, half of the Chinese skiers also visit slopes abroad. This has a very positive influence and is also a reason why we are active on Chinese social media as a small Swiss company."