China is believed to have passed the milestone of having 50 indoor snow centres operational across the country with at least seven new facilities opening in 2023, many of them in the final months of last year.

Taihu Longemont Snow World in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province (pictured above), is one of the latest to open, in the final months of 2023. lt has an area of 78,000 square metres divided between an ice area and the snow area, each selling tickets independently.

The ski resort has a “polar atmosphere” and “Danish-style architecture’ according to reports, as well as 16 ski trails in total.

The beginner and intermediate ski trails are 50 metres wide and over 100 metres long. There is also a 240-metre long trail and a 20-degree slope with greater difficulty levels for more experienced skiers and riders.

Most of China’s population lives in the warmer, flatter, wetter south and east of the country whereas its cold, snowy, hilly areas are sparsely populated a good distance away to the north, hence easy-snow access provided by indoor snow centres has proved very popular and surveys have found almost a fifth of the growing number of China’s skiers and riders are doping so indoors rather than at conventional ski areas.

China has by far the most indoor snow centres in the world. Japan and India are the only other two countries to get into double figures for number of indoor snow facilities, In Japan’s case this was back in the 1990s and only a few facilities remain. In India’s case most are small snow experience centres not offering skiing.