Vasaloppet ski festival plays it cool to attract crowds

Changchun in Jilin province hosts major snow sports event

The annual Vasaloppet China Changchun Jingyuetan International Ski Festival－running from Nov 12 to March 31 in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin province－is adding momentum to the high-quality development of the ice and snow economy in cold regions.

A visual feast of ice and snow, the 2022 Vasaloppet China, held on the tracks of the Changchun Jingyuetan National Forest Park in Changchun Jingyue High-tech Industrial Development Zone, displays a total of more than 40 products and combines sport events with activities focusing on travel experiences, culture, tourism and consumption.

"We believe that if provinces and cities vigorously promote the development of the ice and snow industry, the entire region's ice and snow industry and cultural tourism will develop in a healthy manner," said a local official.

Vasaloppet, a world-renowned skiing brand with 100 years of history, came to Changchun in 2003 and has been held 19 times.

In 2018, it was rated as one of China's top 10 ice and snow tourism festivals. On Jan 22, 2019, it was rated as one of the top 10 achievements in the 40th anniversary of Changchun's opening-up to the outside world.

This year, the event aims to further enrich the public's ice and snow experiences through activities including the first China Changchun Science Fiction Film Summit Forum, Ink Painting－Jingyue Ice and Snow Cultural Exchange, and Changchun Story Urban Ice and Snow Cultural Exchange. The event strives to make use of cultural resources and create a good reputation of the ice and snow culture of Changchun.

Focusing on "leisure health", "research travel", "rural ice and snow" and other characteristic resources, the event is integrating cultural and tourism resources within and outside the region, and launching a number of high-quality ice and snow tourism routes linking Jingyue high-tech zone, Jilin and Baishan cities and Changbai Mountain.

To attract more tourists and promote the high-quality development of the ice and snow economy, Jingyue will focus on building ice and snow tourism routes and carry out marketing activities in major tourist regions such as Zhejiang and Guangdong, and Shandong and Fujian provinces.

The event also accelerates ice and snow consumption, strengthens the brand's image and boosts the local economy through various winter activities.

One of the highlights is the annual Jilin (Changchun) Winter Agricultural Fair held by Jingyue district and the Changchun Modern Agricultural Park. Started in 2010, it has become an important part of the city's ice and snow activities.

The fair is scheduled to run from Jan 20 to Feb 7 and will focus on technology, products, online transactions, smart agriculture and green development. It highlights ice and snow tourism as well as farming, local customs and culture.

Covering 200,000 square meters, the fair will display a total of 29 items across three major sections of "display and sales, cultural and entertainment activities, and an online agricultural expo" with a series of activities such as vegetable picking, a Chinese New Year flower market and special agricultural products.

At the same time, it is to organize agricultural science popularization activities and agricultural technology training.

The pavilion area is equipped with indoor football, roller skating, badminton, table tennis, tennis and other sports items to create the largest national sports and fitness venue in the country. The expo will further enrich the cultural life of the general public and farmers during Spring Festival.