Cold spots become hot trends as Southern China heads north for ski adventures
With the weather turning cooler and holiday season approaching, ski destinations in northern China are seeing a surge of travelers from the south. Airlines and resort operators, including Malaysia-based Genting Group, are benefiting from this uptick.
Since the ski season began on November 15, the Changbai Beautiful China Resort in Jilin’s northeast, owned by China Green Development Group, has welcomed over 110,000 visitors—a nearly 40% year-on-year rise. More than 80% of these guests originated from southern China, a share much higher than in previous years. The peak period is anticipated to span from Christmas through the Spring Festival.
The resort attributes this trend to ongoing southern demand for winter experiences, a major driver of its revenue growth.
“South China’s primary markets are concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, with key hubs such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou,” explained Xia Yuan, the resort’s brand development and marketing manager. “In addition to skiing, attractions like hot springs, art galleries, and night tours have helped attract more visitors.”
Recent data from three resort hotels indicate that women aged 30 to 39 are the core customer segment among travelers from the Greater Bay Area, with visitors in this region tending to stay longer than travelers from other areas.
The opening of the Shenyang-Changbaishan high-speed rail line in September, together with expanded flight connections to ice-and-snow destinations, has greatly improved travel convenience for southern tourists.
