Ice and snow economy "adds wings" to the revitalization of plateau rural areas

Xinhua News Agency, Xining, January 30 Title: Ice and Snow Economy "Adds Wings" to the Revitalization of Plateau Rural Areas

Xinhua News Agency reporters Li Linhai and Geng Huihuang

As the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics approaches, ice and snow sports have become the hottest sports in various places. In the north and south of the river, "cold ice and snow" has become "hot sports", and "with prosperity" ice and snow economy.

Qinghai is located at the source of the three rivers, known as the "Chinese Water Tower", the territory of the Jade Everest, Gangshika Snow Mountain is the outdoor sports enthusiasts fascinated. Nowadays, with the continuous extension of the tentacles of ice and snow sports, the highland countryside has also become a popular "punch card" for ice and snow sports enthusiasts.

Every year during the snow season, Tibetan girl Li LaMocuo "transforms" into a ski instructor and enjoys the fun of skiing. Her home is located in Dongxia Town, Datong Hui Turk Autonomous County, Xining City, Qinghai Province, a town known to outsiders for its unique ice and snow resources.

At an altitude of more than 2,700 meters, Li la Mocuo works on the Recreation Ski Resort, the first ski resort in Qinghai Province to operate. Located about 50 kilometers from Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, the ski resort receives nearly 100,000 visitors a year.

"In the summer we do odd jobs near home and in the winter we coach at the ski slopes. One snow season, my income was 30,000 or 40,000 yuan, which really made us feel the meaning of 'ice and snow is also a golden mountain and a silver mountain'. Li Lamocuo said.

Ma Jinyun, the head of the ski resort, said that more than 60 surrounding villagers are engaged in catering, ski rental, ski instructors and other work in the ski resort. In the past 4 months of snow season, the highest paid ski instructor can earn nearly 70,000 yuan.

The reporter learned that the surge in ski crowds has also forced the ski resort to continuously upgrade and transform to meet the diverse needs of different groups of people.

At first, Mr. Ma said, there were only two tracks on the ski slopes. Due to the lack of relevant professional talents in the local area, at the beginning of the operation, the ski resort invited 6 ski instructors from the northeast. Today, there are 29 local ski instructors like Lila Mocuo, and the number of ski tracks has increased to 6, which are subdivided into children's ski tracks, adult junior (intermediate) trails, etc.

In addition, the ski resort also offers night skiing services between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., so that office workers can also experience the charm of skiing under the stars.

This year is a key year for the comprehensive implementation of rural revitalization, and the development of the ice and snow economy has ushered in new opportunities. Industry experts pointed out that the ice and snow tourism industry has become an important engine to promote economic transformation and upgrading and help the revitalization of plateau rural areas.

At present, there are 19 ski resorts of various types in Qinghai Province. According to the information provided by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Qinghai Province, from the winter and spring of 2020 to 2021, Qinghai ice and snow tourism received 1.5387 million tourists and achieved tourism income of 30.2439 million yuan.

Liang Qiang, professor at Tianjin University of Finance and Economics and chief expert of Boguan Zhiyuan Outdoor Leisure Research Institute, said: "The vast rural space is a 'sleeping' hidden resource for sports, and the countryside is a unique and innate ice and snow sports venue. ”

Liang Qiang said that traditionally, sports activities are mostly around urban space, from the perspective of the development law of global ice and snow sports, the development of ice and snow sports in rural areas has natural advantages. After entering the winter, how to make the masses change from idle in winter to busy in winter, from "cat winter" to "playing winter", has become the key to the ice and snow economy to help rural revitalization.

Xue Qiang, 32, is from Taiyan Village, Qutan Town, Ledu District, Haidong City, Qinghai Province. In the summer, he is a big car driver. In the winter, he became a snowboard instructor at the Qutan International Ski Resort near his home.

"Compared to driving to work, the mood of skiing outdoors every day is particularly relaxing, which makes me have a different life experience." Xue Qiang said.

"We should take advantage of the opportunities of the times when the Winter Olympics are favorable, draw an ice and snow picture of sports to revitalize the rural economy, use the new infrastructure of ice and snow sports to open up a new vein of rural construction, and use the new way of ice and snow life to stimulate a new upsurge of national fitness." Liang Qiang said. (End)