The Chinese government aims to raise the number of winter sports participants to 300 million by 2022
Laax hosted the Chinese Snowboard Halfpipe National Team in January and is due to welcome the Chinese Ski Halfpipe National Team this month. Recently, it began strategic cooperation with the Secret Garden ski resort in Chongli to further tap into the Chinese market.
Laax is also working to improve the way it caters to Chinese travelers, by upgrading its services in terms of language, customer service and digitalization.
Christoph Schmidt, head of resort and services at Laax, said: “To make our guests’ stay convenient and pleasurable, we have provided Chinese information, a choice of Asian food and options to use UnionPay payment.”
Schmidt said Laax has established independent communication channels, including on Youku and WeChat, in an attempt to better engage with the Chinese ski and snowboard community.
Arlt said Chinese skiers heading to Europe often book their holidays through travel operators, but tend not to go as part of package tours.
“A minority is traveling fully independent, including Chinese living temporarily in Europe, who may have more opportunities to learn how to ski than Chinese in China,” he added. The typical Chinese skier is at the beginner level, so he said it will be important for European ski resorts to convey to Chinese holidaymakers that their slopes are well-groomed and that easy and accessible runs are available.
Emanuel Lehner-Telic, Asia regional manager for the Austrian National Tourist Office, said: “We have always communicated to potential Chinese travelers that we do not only have black slopes (the most advanced), but also red (intermediate) and blue ones (beginners).”
Chinese travelers don’t have the same tradition of
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