As ski resorts have begun opening in northern China, ski enthusiasts are starting to head to ski resorts for winter fun and scenery.
The city of Zhangjiakou, a top destination for skiing in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region which hosted most snow events of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, has witnessed a huge influx of tourists since its ski resorts opened recently.
The eight ski resorts in Zhangjiakou's Chongli District have a combination of over 160 kilometers of ski slopes, providing a great experience on snow for all levels of ski enthusiasts.
"I learned front blade skills in a couple of days. Yesterday I even gave it a go on black slopes. It was just a great experience overall," said a tourist.
Chongli's Genting Resort, which opened just on Wednesday, saw its 3,500 guest rooms fully booked for the weekend. The Thaiwoo resort saw visitor numbers surging to 10,000 per day in less than two weeks. Resorts are also introducing new activities such as jetski snow rides and cross-country skiing to create a colorful experience.
"I came back from America just to ski here. It's got a complete set of facilities and services – got good accommodation and food, and shuttles for pickup," said a tourist.
In Inner Mongolia's Genhe, a city known as 'the coldest place in China', it is the reindeer that draw visitors from all over the country to visit the snowy winter wonderland.
The local Aoluguya Ewenki people, known as "the last hunting tribe in China," is the only ethnic minority group in China that raises reindeer. Interacting with reindeer and experiencing the Ewenki culture while surrounded by snow-covered forests make a memorable vacation experience for visitors,particularly for those who come from the warmer south.
"So many reindeer and small animals. We also stayed in Cuoluozi (Ewenki tikis) and Mongolian yurts. That was a great experience for me," said a visitor.
Genhe's tourism sector has been developing its snow economy with focus on the city's unique natural resources and ethnic culture. The city has welcomed about 80,000 visitors since October, bringing in 150 million yuan (20.7 million in U.S. dollars) of tourism revenue.
"To accommodate tourism demands, our park is consistently perfecting our services and facilities. This year we introduced new dinning choices, such as Cuoluozi barbeque, Cuoluozi hotpot and bonfire tea. We also readied reindeer sleighs and snowbikes for tourists," said Zhao Geng, a scenic area staff member.
Ski resorts open in northern China, attracting ski enthusiasts for winter fun, scenery
A leading Chinese aviation fuel maker is setting its sights on the rapidly growing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) market, driven by the increasing demand for eco-friendly aviation solutions.
SAF is a new type of green jet fuel made from renewable resources or wastes. In recent years, relevant industries in China have grown rapidly, with innovative uses of waste oil to produce sustainable aviation fuel. For example, discarded oil from everyday cooking is now being recycled and converted into fuel for aircraft.
At the recent Airshow China in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, Sichuan Tianzhou International Trade Co., Ltd., a leading technology company in China specializing in aviation fuel supply, introduced how it has transformed waste oil into SAF.
"I have a bottle of waste hotpot oil in my left hand and a bottle of finished SAF in my right. We collect the kitchen waste oil, remove impurities, and refine it through hydrogenation. Then, we can smoothly blend the processed oil with traditional petrochemical aviation fuel, making it suitable for large aircraft and helping to reduce carbon emissions at every stage of the process," said Chen Yu, general manager of the company.
Compared with traditional petrochemical jet fuel, SAF, made from waste materials such as animal and vegetable oils, household waste, and agricultural and forestry waste, can reduce carbon emissions by nearly 80 percent.
Now, this jet fuel supplier is building its industrial base in Neijiang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to process 500,000 tons of waste animal and plant oil annually, with an estimated output value of around 10 billion yuan (about 1.38 billion U.S. dollars).
"When we first started developing this type of fuel, we received little attention. But since last year, and especially recently, we've been in deep cooperations with international airlines frequently, as well as major domestic airlines and China National Aviation Fuel, about future collaborations and orders," said Chen.
According to a research report from Chinese financial services company Guosen Securities, China currently can produce 350,000 tons of SAF each year, with plans to increase it to 3.53 million tons.
For global climate reduction goals, countries around the world are also accelerating the building of the SAF industry.
"The climate goals of countries worldwide are the same. By 2030, all commercial aircraft should be compatible with the use of SAF, and by 2050, the target is to achieve emission reductions and net-zero emissions," said Yao Junchen, vice president of the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics (CSAA).
Chinese company targets growing sustainable aviation fuel market
