The northern regions of China are currently experiencing widespread snowfall and dropping temperatures, marking the beginning of the first complete winter tourism season in over three years. Online travel platforms report a significant increase in enthusiasm for winter travel from the 2023 to 2024 snow season, with an expected surge in the number of snow tourists and tourism expenditure. The booming popularity of "snow +" activities is driving a new trend in cultural and tourism consumption.

For tourists from Guangdong who have a keen interest in snow and winter activities, witnessing the rare spectacle of snow with aurora borealis is an irresistible experience. Recently, a couple from Guangzhou signed up for a trip to Mohe City to admire the aurora borealis, hoping to fulfill their "snow and aurora dream" this winter without leaving the country.

The "Trend Forecast for 2023-2024 Winter Tourism Consumption" by Tuniu shows that the search volume for winter travel products increased by 124% from the National Day holiday (October 1^st) to October 31^st, compared to the same period in September. Similarly, the "Trend Report for 2023 Ski Travel" by Tongcheng Travel reveals that in the first week of November, the search popularity for "skiing" rose by 120%. The report also indicates that both ski resort ticket bookings and ski vacation product reservations experienced over a 100% increase compared to the previous period.

Tuniu has released its winter consumption forecast, revealing that Guangzhou and Shenzhen are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, among the top ten most popular winter tourism destinations this year. They were only surpassed by Shanghai, Beijing, and Nanjing. Other southern cities on the list include Hangzhou, Xiamen, and Chengdu, which accounted for almost 70% of the total orders. According to reports, snow tourism orders on Fliggy were mainly purchased by people from southern regions on last year's Double Eleven Festival, accounting for almost 90% of the total orders.

According to Tuniu, southern provinces in China are becoming more significant in the winter tourism market and are expected to boost winter tourism consumption. This year, activities such as skiing, snow-watching in the southwest, indoor skiing, winter amusement parks, and hot springs in the east and south of China have all shown increased popularity.

Wu Ruoshan, a special researcher at the Tourism Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that there is an increasing number of buyers from southern regions who are now interested in winter tourism. Wu believes that compared to northerners, southern tourists approach winter activities with more curiosity and anticipation as they are not as familiar with the snow. The gradual increase in indoor snow facilities has further unleashed the potential demand for winter tourism in the southern regions.

The winter tourism industry has undergone significant developments this year, with a focus on diversification, specialization, and attention to detail. According to Ou Jiaqi, the manager of the Shenzhen Deep Snow Ski Club, increased government support has led to the development and utilization of more snow resources. Additionally, many popular snow destinations have been introduced, and major tourism platforms have designed product lines tailored to different demands, including sports-oriented and leisure sightseeing options. Ou particularly highlights the emergence of customized small group tours that incorporate services such as travel photography, providing opportunities for more niche snow experiences and further enriching the market choices.

南方人更爱雪！“冷”资源搅热冬游市场

随着我国北方地区陆续迎来大范围降雪降温，近三年多来首个完整的冰雪旅游季从本月起正式启幕。综合多家在线旅游平台统计显示，2023-2024冰雪季居民的出游热情更胜以往，预计冰雪出游人次及旅游消费将迎来爆发式增长，各类“冰雪+”花式玩法，正在引领新的文旅消费风潮。

对于本身就对冰雪游有着极度热爱的广东游客来说，亲眼目睹“冰雪+罕见红绿极光”的玩法更是难以抗拒。广州市民钟先生夫妇说，他们刚刚报名了到漠河赏极光的线路，想要在这个冬季不出国门圆一次“冰雪极光梦”。

根据途牛发布的《2023-2024冰雪季旅游消费趋势预测》，国庆假期后至10月31日，冰雪游产品搜索量较9月同期增长124%。同程旅行发布的《2023年滑雪旅行趋势报告》则显示，11月第一周，“滑雪”搜索热度环比上升120%，滑雪场门票和滑雪度假产品预订量环比涨幅均超100%。

在途牛发布的冰雪消费预测中，记者发现，今年冰雪季十大冰雪游热门客源地中，广深分列第四、第五位，仅次于上海、北京、南京。加上同样上榜的南方城市还有杭州、厦门、成都，南方订单占比接近70%。据悉，去年飞猪双11冰雪旅游订单中，近九成被南方人买走。

“南方省份在冰雪游市场中的权重正在逐步上升，有望成为冰雪游消费新增长点。”途牛相关负责人分析指出，今年，西南方向的滑雪、赏雪，华东、华南方向的室内滑雪、冰雪乐园、温泉康养等冰雪游产品均呈现出更高热度。

中国社科院旅游研究中心特约研究员吴若山表示，南方买家越来越多，冰雪游已不再是北方人的专利。吴若山认为，相比北方人对冰雪的熟悉，南方游客对冰雪更多了一重好奇与期待。随着室内冰雪场地的逐渐增多，南方地区潜在的冰雪消费需求将进一步释放。

“今年的冰雪产品明显朝着多元化、专业化、细致化发展。”在深圳深雪滑雪俱乐部主理人欧家祺看来，基于政府的大力推动，更多冰雪资源得到开发和利用，各地推出了许多网红冰雪打卡点，各大平台结合不同的用户需求设计出了不同定位的产品线路，包括运动的、休闲观光类的……“尤其是一些附带旅拍等服务的深度定制小团线路，可以探索更多小众的冰雪体验，进一步丰富了市场选择。”

文 | 记者 刘星彤 实习生 洪倍佳
图 | 受访者提供
译｜陈萱
责编 | 王楠
校对 | 赵丹丹