Summer tourism picks up at Winter Olympics venue

A total of 591,000 people made leisure trips to Chongli, a district in Zhangjiakou, co-host for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, from May to July, the local tourism authority said.

It said winter sports resorts in Chongli had changed their business model and now provided services throughout the year.

Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, will provide eight competition and noncompetition venues for the 2022 Games. It will host two sports, skiing and biathlon, and be home to 50 events in six disciplines: snowboarding, freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined and biathlon.

After the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, China shifted its sporting focus from winning medals to promoting fitness for everyone, with the central government aiming to build a healthier nation by 2030.

The 40-square-kilometer Thaiwoo Ski Resort, a major competition venue in Chongli, is one example of the change, having been developed into an all-season resort that provides not only skiing services in winter but also outdoor activities in summer.

It welcomed 80,000 visitors this summer, reception manager Wang Xiaojuan said.

The resort opened its doors in November 2015 and 30 skiing trails are scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.