Olympic legacy lays solid foundation for growth

At the just-concluded 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, experts discussed the "Chinese approach" to the sustainable and healthy development of the winter sports industry, focusing on the legacy of the Winter Olympics.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has praised Beijing 2022 for kick-starting a new era for ice and snow sports worldwide after the Games encouraged more than 300 million Chinese to participate in winter sports.

It is a challenge for Yanqing, one of the Beijing 2022 competition zones, to maximize the legacies of the World Horticultural Exhibition and the Winter Olympics. Ren Jianghao, deputy head of Beijing's Yanqing district, said that the heritage of the Winter Olympics has to be lasting.

"There are three methods. First, we have the experience of hosting the Winter Olympics, so we will introduce some elite sports meets to Yanqing. Second, we propose to build Yanqing into an outdoor sports district, not only for winter sports. Third, we have a sports industrial park－Yanqing Park－which has attracted a large number of winter sports technology firms. The local government has also implemented preferential policies toward related enterprises."

Since Beijing won the bid for the Winter Olympics, co-host Zhangjiakou in Hebei province has continued to transform these "cold "resources into a "hot" winter sports economy.

Zhangjiakou has built nine ski resorts, 59 sports training bases, 100 winter sports schools and successfully staged more than 100 elite-level meets, including FIS World Cup stops for freestyle skiing and snowboarding.

In addition, 115 industrial projects, including France MND, have been launched. After the Winter Olympics, the world-class venue facilities, management and operation teams, as well as the manufacturing chain of winter sports, have combined to create a "bonanza".

"We will devote ourselves to the comprehensive utilization of venues and ancillary facilities to boost the post-Olympic economy. We will implement the plan for sustainable use of the legacy of the Winter Olympics, and continue to host various international and domestic events," Liu Haifeng, the deputy mayor of Zhangjiakou, said.

Upgrades essential

China's ice and snow industry should prioritize the upgrading of facilities and services, according to Zheng Liangcheng, director of the International Snow Federation and vice-chairman of the Chinese Ski Association.

"The Beijing Winter Olympic cycle has triggered the construction of lots of snow resorts and ice rinks, which has led to a rapid expansion of the ski industry chains. There are 803 ski resorts in China, but we can't branch out in the next few years. There is a bottleneck," said Zheng.

"The original ski industry is supporting the continuous expansion of infrastructure, but without the growth of demand in the next few years, the supply will be seriously greater than the market demand, which may lead to intense competition," he added.

"During the Beijing Winter Olympics, our country invested a lot in scientific research for athletes, which delivered great achievements. If we can apply that same principle to the public domain, industrial improvement could indeed be the result."

In the sports service exhibition area of CIFTIS, many participants showcased their latest technologies and products.

According to experts, snow resorts and ice venues implementing environmental protection measures can save water, electricity and improve their operation. They can also diversify the development of ski trails, accommodation and other facilities to improve the experience of visitors and the overall service level. It is also crucial to carry out sustainable development.

With the participation of more than 30 countries and regions, the sports services exhibition of this year's CIFTIS opened a "window to the world" for sports.

Deputy mayor Liu said that Zhangjiakou is ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other Winter Olympic cities, sister cities and international organizations. Plans are also in place to welcome well-known equipment enterprises and strive to build a national winter sports equipment production base.

Nico Schiettekatte, counselor for health, welfare and sports at the Dutch embassy in China, hopes that the Netherlands will have "deep cooperation" with China in the winter sports industry.

"Some Dutch manufacturers are investing in Shanghai and Beijing. I think it's a very effective way of working together to encourage youth to play ice sports, not just in the cities, but also in the villages and towns."

Strengthening international exchanges is seen as an important way to realize supply-side reform and new market expansion.

Xinhua