The ice and snow craze is sweeping through southern China. In Shenzhen, state-of-the-art indoor snow facilities have turned the city into a winter sports hub for locals and tourists alike. What's driving this icy excitement? Our reporter Wang Tianyu finds out.
WANG TIANYU, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province "Never thought I would be skiing in Shenzhen, a city that never sees snow. But it's actually feeling not bad."
It's 20 degrees Celsius outside, but the excitement of winter sports is just a step away in this indoor snow arena. Both local and nearby visitors are flocking here to experience the magic of snow.
LOCAL RESIDENTS "I've always wanted to go to the north to ski, but never had the chance. So, I came here to give it a try."
"I saw so many people posting about skiing on social media, so I got interested and wanted to try it out."
Ice and snow are always appealing for people in the south, many of whom may have never seen snow in their entire lives due to the warm weather. After Beijing hosted the Winter Olympics in 2022, a remarkable winter sports boom has spread across the country.
YANG HAIHUI, Deputy Manager, Shenzhen Alps Ice and Snow World "The ice and snow craze really started to heat up about two years ago. Many new snow venues have opened in surrounding areas. We have a lot of customers from Hong Kong who are eager to experience our winter activities here."
HONG KONG TOURISTS "We are from Hong Kong. We just came here and it was great. Did you enjoy it so far? Yeah?"
LOCAL RESIDENTS "I've heard of this place for a long time but never dared to try it. This time, my friends brought me here."
"To be honest, this is just my second time here."
"You know you may fall, but the more you fall, the braver you get. It's all about challenging yourself."
The excitement doesn't stop here. Just a short drive away, Shenzhen is gearing up to open the world's largest indoor snow slope.
WANG TIANYU, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province "It reminds me of the jumping platform of Beijing's Winter Olympics, but it's actually way bigger than that."
LIU YONGBO, Technical Chief Engineer, Shenzhen Huafa Snow World Project, China State Construction Engineering Corporation 3rd Bureau "Our construction spans a total area of 339,300 square meters, including 100,000 square meters dedicated to the snowfield. We anticipate completion by August 31, with trial operations set to begin in October of this year."
The ski slope covers an area equal to 11 football fields, and the highest vertical drop reaches 83 meters – approximately equivalent to a 25-story building.
WANG TIANYU, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province "So, this is it. We are on top of this. And this is going to be the station of drag lifts. And these are the ski tracks. There's going to be three of them. The longest one is this one: 446 meters."
The snow wonderland was built with an investment of 30 billion yuan, or $4.2 billion US dollars. It aims to attract tourists not only from the Greater Bay Area but also from Southeast Asia and beyond. According to developers, its facilities are capable of hosting international ski competitions 365 days a year. Ice and snow sports are an exciting category for young generations. With Shenzhen's average resident age being just 32.5 years, the growing passion and expanding infrastructure mean winter sports are becoming increasingly accessible for people in the warmer south. Wang Tianyu, CGTN, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.