Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Zhang Xiaomi) news: "I've found the perfect spot for a ski-cation with great snow conditions, diverse slopes, and so many fellow skiers to share tips with!" said Zheng Binbin, an enthusiastic skier from northeast China, as she enjoyed the slopes at the Keketuohai International Ski Resort on November 12, 2025.

This is Zheng's second ski trip to Xinjiang. Last season, she spent a solid two weeks skiing here. This year, she's taken it a step further by renting a place in Keketuohai Town, Altay Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with two friends, planning a full month of skiing.

Photo shows skiers ski at the Keketuohai International Ski Resort in Altay Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Jin Bing)

Today, more and more skiing enthusiasts like Zheng are being won over by Xinjiang's exceptional ski resources. They are no longer content with brief visits but are choosing to stay for several weeks or even months, embracing a lifestyle like "migrant birds" each ski season. From the season's opening on October 12 to November 10, 2025, 55,000 visitors have visited the Keketuohai International Ski Resort, including approximately 47,000 skiers, a 13 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Notably, 92.7 percent of these skiers came from outside Xinjiang.

To enhance the experience for these seasonal visitors, Li Xiangbao, manager of the Marketing and Planning Department at Keketuohai Taiyun Tourism Investment and Development Co., Ltd., shared, "For the 2025-2026 season, we are launching new ski pass packages that include extended accommodation. We will also regularly host various themed winter events and competitions." Beyond brand demo days and small-scale ski exchanges, this season will also debut drone shows with ice and snow themes, adding a new spectacle to the resort's nights.

From sunset music parties and slope-side bonfires to mountaintop cafes and snowfield hot pot feasts, from professional terrain parks and heated infinity pools to snow-based horseback riding and scenic cable car rides, Xinjiang's major ski resorts are not only continuously expanding their ski areas and improving snow quality but are also upgrading their facilities, services, and diverse activities. This ensures the migrant birds enjoy an increasingly rich and vibrant winter lifestyle.

Xinjiang's exceptional winter conditions attract not only skiing enthusiasts but also make it a top choice for many professional ski instructors.

Jiang Yangsiqi, a ski instructor from southwest China's Yunnan, is embarking on her third season instructing at the Silk Road International Ski Resort. She typically arrives in Xinjiang in mid-November and stays until the end of March the following year. During her time off, she enjoys exploring Urumqi, capital city of Xinjiang, with fellow instructors from across the country, visiting the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar and museums. "Everywhere you take pictures in Xinjiang is very beautiful. Many of my friends and students back home, seeing my videos and photos, are eager to come and experience it for themselves."

Photo shows Jiang Yansiqi. (Photo by Jiang Yangsiqi)

Currently, about 20 percent of the resort's 120 ski coaches are from other provinces. Tang Bao, assistant principal of the ski school, noted, "Their arrival brings diverse teaching styles and enriches our resort's skiing culture."

The Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort plans to recruit 300 instructors this season, with the first group of 128 already on site, 85 percent of whom are from outside Xinjiang. Li Xia, principal of the ski school, mentioned, "The proportion of coaches from other provinces has grown from around 10 percent in 2020 to about 65-70 percent now. They are generally young and energetic, bringing a fresh dynamic to the slopes." Last year, the school also brought in three foreign coaches from South Africa, Russia, and France through partner organizations and plans to further expand its international coaching team this year.

Additionally, the Silk Road International Ski Resort has specially recruited 15 performing artists from Brazil and Colombia this season, who will be based at the resort providing regular performances.

Photo shows Edwin Quintero (second from the right) and his co-workers. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Zhang Xiaomi)

Xinjiang's winter uses snow as its open invitation. Great snow, smooth service, and a buzz that never fades let every slope-seeking "migrant" feel at home and fall in love. From skiing enthusiasts across China and beyond, to domestic and international professional coaches; from a rich array of snow activities to continuously enhanced skiing experiences, this winter wonderland is quietly becoming the preferred destination for more and more people's winter travels. It's also becoming a seasonal home they yearn to return to, year after year.

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