Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Zhang Ting, Corespondent Dong Shiju) news: On the morning of November 2, 2024, Keketuohai International Ski Resort in Altay Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, was bustling with activities. Ski enthusiasts lined up early in long queues in front of the cable cars leading to various ski slopes.

"Just ten days after opening, the ski resort has already welcomed over 3,000 visitors," said Li Xiangbao, the marketing planning manager of Keketuohai International Ski Resort. "This weekend, nearly all of the hotel's 100 rooms are fully booked."

As temperatures drop, the popularity of ice and snow tourism in Altay Prefecture continues to rise. Since the official opening of Keketuohai International Ski Resort in late October, other major ski resorts are also gearing up for their opening. In addition to ski enthusiasts from all over the country, this year has seen an increase in the presence of foreign coaches. Different languages from around the world intermingle at the ski resorts, and the growing frequency of international exchanges is injecting new vitality into the high-quality development of the ice and snow economy in Altay.

Learn to ski from foreign coaches

"Coaches should employ more body language, and use practice drills to help skiers develop good sliding habits, while pairing these with clear theoretical knowledge that is easy to understand. They should explain why each movement is done in a certain way..." On October 27, 2024, a ski trainer from the French Club Med team who are in collaboration with the Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort, conducted systematic and targeted training for the resort's coaches.

Photo taken on October 27, 2024 shows a foreign ski trainer from the French Club Med team who are in collaboration with the Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort, conducts systematic and targeted training for the resort's coaches in Altay Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Dong Shiju)

Wulali Hailati, a ski instructor at the Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort, is in his fifth year of coaching. Reflecting on the development of the ski resort over the years, he candidly remarked on the significant changes, not just in infrastructure and amenities, but also in the opportunities for local instructors to learn advanced skiing techniques from foreign coaches right at home, which has brought a sense of fulfillment and joy.

According to Wulali, the foreign coaches have introduced training methods that align with international standards. "Previously, we mostly practiced in isolation. Through communication and learning from foreign coaches, we've gained a deeper understanding of the sport and have experienced a positive shift in our mindset," Wulali shared.

This year, the Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort partnered with the French Club Med team to establish the "Jiangjunshan-Club Med Ski Academy." They have meticulously designed training programs focusing on ski safety guidance, skill transfer, and student management, aiming to help the resort's ski instructors better grasp the key and challenging aspects of teaching.

"We've introduced the mature ski teaching system and management expertise of the French Club Med team, engaging in comprehensive and multi-level cooperation to expand our professional coaching team and enhance the level of teaching and training. This provides ski enthusiasts with a safer, more professional, and enjoyable skiing experience," said Chen Yang, the marketing director of the Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort. "This collaboration is not just a simple addition of services; it's our pursuit and practice of high standards for an international ski resort."

Enhance infrastructure and facilities for ice and snow sports

Bernhard Ratschiller, an Austrian ski teaching and training examiner, fell in love with China on his first visit in 2019, captivated by the well-developed ski facilities and the hospitable locals. Since then, he has returned to China each winter to conduct ski instruction. At the end of October this year, he arrived at the Keketuohai International Ski Resort in Fuyun County to participate in ski training and professional teaching level assessments.

"Upon my arrival, I found this place to be very open and forward-thinking. We are collaborating with the Keketuohai International Ski Resort to actively promote the local training industry of ski level certification to align with international standards and guide continuous innovation in the ski resort model. This place is worth experiencing for ski enthusiasts from all around the world," said Bernhard Ratschiller.

From mid-October to December, the first ski coach certification training program of the year took place at the Keketuohai International Ski Resort. It is understood that this is the first ski coach certification training conducted domestically by Shihui (Shenyang) Sports Culture Development Co., Ltd. in collaboration with Ski Austria, and the ski coach certification is equivalent to Level 2 of the ICF Coaching Certification.

Photo taken on October 24, 2024 shows ski instructor certification training being conducted at the Keketuohai International Ski Resort in Altay Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo provided by Shihui (Shenyang) Sports Culture Development Co., Ltd.)

Feng Kai, the executive deputy general manager of Keketuohai International Ski Resort, introduced that the resort is located within the Keketuohai national scenic area and is currently the earliest opened and longest snow-covered ski resort in Asia. The Austrian team, recognizing the high-quality powder snow and diverse ski slopes, chose this location for their certification training.

In addition to their collaboration with Ski Austria, this ski season, Keketuohai International Ski Resort has also partnered with a Canadian ski teaching program to provide business guidance and training for the resort's ski school, as well as to conduct training level exams.

Feng explained that, in addition to professional technical training, the ski resort is working with professional teams in the 2024-2025 season to build a standard U-shaped pool that can host national competitions, park facilities that can meet the training needs of the training team, and intermediate park facilities that can serve recreational skiers and snowboarders. This allows ski enthusiasts to enjoy the fun of ice and snow sports while also practicing for competitions and improving their ice and snow sports skills.

Craft an international ice and snow tourism resort

From mid-October to early November each year marks the preparation period for the opening of the Jikepulin International Ski Resort. At present, the staff at the ski resort are conducting maintenance checks on facilities such as cable cars, in preparation for the winter season's operations.

Photo taken on October 22, 2024 shows staff at Jikepulin International Ski Resort secure crash pads for skiers in Altay Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo provided by Jikepulin International Ski Resort)

Jikepulin International Ski Resort is famous for its high-quality powder snow, making it great for skiing, snowboarding, and enjoying the snow.

It is learned that the ski resort plans to collaborate with professionals and institutions from Austria for the 2024-2025 season. This will help exchange ideas and collaborate on talent cultivation in the ski industry, ski resort planning, and many other aspects. The ski school at Jikepulin International Ski Resort will adopt advanced teaching systems and create a unique curriculum for local skiers.

"In the past, our ski training market was not well-developed and lacked a standard skiing system. In recent years, there has been a demand among ski enthusiasts for high-quality ski courses and instructors. This year, we have introduced a ski teaching system from abroad that will teach us how to ski, how to rescue people in avalanches, and how to assess snow conditions. In addition, the two sides will also cooperate in the construction of ski slopes and ski parks," said Zhang Jiarui, the deputy general manager of Jikepulin International Ski Resort.

In recent years, Altay Prefecture has invested more than seven billion yuan (about 983 million U.S. dollars) to build nine alpine, cross-country, and backcountry ski resorts, including three 5S-level ski resorts. For the 2024-2025 season, the three major ski resorts in Altay have introduced internationally standard ski teaching systems, striving to create an international ice and snow tourism resort.

"The good reputation of Altay as the "the world's birthplace of skiing” has initially taken shape. Next, we will host more international and domestic top-level winter sports events and continuously enrich our winter tourism offerings, aiming to build Altay into an international ski training base, a world-class winter sports and winter tourism destination." said Delida Nabi, director of the Culture, Sports, Radio, Television, and Tourism Bureau of Altay Prefecture.

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