Bringing Together Global Winter Sports Resources to Support a Spectacular Beijing Winter Olympics: 2021 Winter Sports Expo Opens in Beijing
On September 3, 2021, the International Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo (hereinafter “Winter Expo”) opened in Beijing. Cai Qi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, and President of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Organising Committee; Chen Jining, Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, Mayor of Beijing, and Executive President of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Organising Committee; and Zhang Yankun, Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, visited the exhibition halls. IOC President Thomas Bach sent a congratulatory letter, and IOC Member and Chair of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Coordination Commission Juan Antonio Samaranch delivered a video message, both offering congratulations on the opening of the Winter Expo.
Since 2016, the Winter Expo has been hosted by the Beijing Olympic City Development Association and the International Data Group, and organised by the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Centre and Aiqi Exhibition Co., Ltd. After six years of exploration and growth, the event has continuously increased its international influence and industry reach.
“Connecting with global winter sports resources and boosting the development of China’s ice and snow industry” has remained the guiding principle of the Winter Expo over the past six years. This edition once again brought together elite figures and quality resources from the winter sports world, stepping up efforts to promote winter sports and exploring new opportunities for the growth of the ice and snow industry, providing all-round support for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The exhibition area of this year’s Winter Expo covered nearly 20,000 square metres, featuring eight major exhibition zones and 12 categories of display content, alongside more than 20 forums and supporting events. Italy was invited as the Country of Honour, leveraging the strengths of a winter sports powerhouse to further elevate international winter sports exchanges. The event attracted over 500 brands from more than 20 countries, over 260 guest speakers, and tens of thousands of professional organisation representatives. Through exhibition displays, keynote forums, industry matchmaking, and special events, the Expo fully unleashed the “charm of ice and snow” and perfectly illustrated the theme of “The Power of Ice and Snow.”
The 2021 Winter Expo was once again held concurrently with the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS). Riding on this important platform, it presented a winter sports industry gala that was highly international, professionally authoritative, and deeply engaging for the public.
Beijing Municipal Leaders Visit the Exhibition Venue
On September 3, Cai Qi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, and President of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Organising Committee; Chen Jining, Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, Mayor of Beijing, and Executive President of the Organising Committee; and Zhang Yankun, Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, toured the Winter Expo venue. They inspected the stands of the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and the Italian national pavilion, among others, and expressed full recognition of the preparations for this year’s Winter Expo.
Opening Ceremony & Main Forum: Bach’s Letter Read, Samaranch’s Speech Played
On the morning of September 3, the opening ceremony and main forum of the 2021 International Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo were held. Liu Jingmin, Executive Vice President of the Beijing Olympic City Development Association, presided over the ceremony and forum. Han Zirong, Full-time Vice President and Secretary-General of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Organising Committee, delivered a speech.
A congratulatory letter from IOC President Thomas Bach was read out. In his letter, Bach congratulated and thanked the organisers and wished the 2021 Winter Expo every success. He noted that bringing together the winter sports industry, the Expo marks another important step in China’s great sporting history as it writes a new chapter. In just a few months, Beijing will make world sporting history as the first city to host both Summer and Winter Olympics. The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, guided by the spirit of peace, solidarity and friendship, will bring the whole world together. The entire Olympic family is eagerly awaiting this global celebration of humanity’s diversity and unity.
A video speech by IOC Member and Chair of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Coordination Commission Juan Antonio Samaranch was played. In his remarks, Samaranch said that despite the global pandemic, the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee had overcome numerous difficulties and excellently completed all preparatory work. He highlighted the significant achievements in legacy and sustainability, citing the transformation of Beijing’s Shougang Park as a vivid example. The Olympics have not only driven infrastructure construction in Beijing, markedly improved economic development and people’s livelihoods, but also will involve 300 million Chinese people in winter sports – all very successful stories. He expressed full confidence that the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee will do a great job and that Beijing will stage a spectacular Olympic Winter Games.
Han Zirong, Full-time Vice President and Secretary-General of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Organising Committee, pointed out in her speech that this year’s Winter Expo continues the theme of “The Power of Ice and Snow.” Integrated into the CIFTIS Sports Services Special Exhibition, on a more open and high-level platform, the Expo is bound to burst with even greater vitality. She expressed the hope that all sectors of society would seize the opportunity of welcoming the Winter Olympics, gather at the Winter Expo as a platform, and focus on common development, engaging in in-depth exchanges and cooperation to promote the popularisation of winter sports and contribute to the win-win development of the global ice and snow industry. Manlio Di Stefano, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy; Johan Eliasch, President of the International Ski Federation (FIS); Ivo Ferriani, IOC Member, President of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF), and member of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Coordination Commission; Jan Dijkema, President of the International Skating Union (ISU); Kate Caithness, President of the World Curling Federation and member of the Beijing 2022 Coordination Commission; Olle Dahlin, President of the International Biathlon Union (IBU); Karl Stoss, IOC Member and President of the Austrian Olympic Committee; Günther Platter, Governor of Tyrol, Austria; Vladimír Tomšík, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to China; Michael Berger, Head of the ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Beijing office and Commercial Counsellor of the Austrian Embassy in China; Wang Lu, Deputy Secretary of the Jilin Municipal Committee and Mayor of Jilin City, Jilin Province; Yang Xiangxi, Deputy Mayor of Yulin City, Shaanxi Province; and Wang Ku, Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of Changbai Mountain Protection Development Zone, Jilin Province, delivered speeches on-site or via video.
At the main forum, guests engaged in a roundtable dialogue on “How the Winter Olympics will help the ice and snow industry break boundaries,” exploring how to seize the Olympic opportunity, effectively expand the influence of the sector, and find breakthrough development paths for the industry. Zhang Li, Vice President of the Asia Digital Group, shared the latest data and key insights from the “2021 China Ice and Snow Industry Development Research Report.” Xu Yuchang, Chairman and President of China Economic Information Service, launched the “2021 China Ice and Snow Tourism Index” and interpreted the trend shifts behind the data.
Italy as the Country of Honour at the 2021 Winter Expo
The 2021 Winter Expo invited winter sports powerhouse Italy as the Country of Honour. Late last year, the Winter Expo and Italy signed a strategic cooperation agreement to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in winter sports-related industries, making Italy’s role as Country of Honour one of the outcomes. After the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo will host the next Winter Olympics in 2026 – Italy’s third time hosting the event. Italy has not only accumulated experience in hosting major sporting events but has also cultivated a relatively complete ice and snow industry. Under the overarching theme “La Montagna Italiana” (The Italian Mountain), the Italy national pavilion at this year’s Expo covered nearly 500 square metres and comprised 22 stands, featuring the Italian National Tourist Board, the Veneto Region, and 20 Italian companies.
In addition to the main forum, the 2021 Winter Expo held parallel forums and special events from September 3 to 5, including the Olympic City Development Forum, Sports Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, Youth Winter Sports Popularisation Forum, Ice and Snow Fashion Trend Forum, Winter Sports Tourism Development Forum, Winter Sports Education Forum, Ski Resort Operation and Management Forum, Venue Design and Construction Forum, Winter Sports Marketing Forum, and Tech-powered Winter Olympics Forum.
The Expo also hosted special promotional events such as the “Rime City, Ski Paradise – Jilin City, the Northern Riverside City” special presentation, the Italy presentation, the GISS Love Snow 2021 Strategy Launch, and the “2021 International Winter Sports Leading Brands” awards.
Deeper International Integration: A Panoramic Showcase of the Global Winter Sports Industry Frontier
At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organising Committee exhibition area, visitors could visualise preparatory achievements such as venue construction and event operations through digital means like large screens and touch displays. The strong Olympic atmosphere significantly heightened anticipation for the upcoming Games. The Chinese Olympic Committee’s stand, themed “From Tokyo to Beijing,” showcased the preparation of China’s national team for the Winter Olympics. The appearance of Olympic champion Zhang Dan and her young skaters brought the atmosphere to a peak. After a graceful and fluid figure-skating performance, they warmly interacted with the audience. Zhang Dan patiently answered questions about skating skills, explained the fun knowledge behind figure skating, shared her own skating story, helping more people understand and get closer to winter sports. At the Yanqing stand, a series of technological achievements such as autonomous AI interviewing robots and a motion capture system for Winter Olympic events were eye-opening. At the Shijingshan stand, an interactive format with Winter Olympic blessing stamps allowed visitors to express their aspirations for the grand event. As the Official Urban Regeneration Partner of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Shougang comprehensively showcased the integration of Olympic sports and urban development, industrial heritage reuse, and industrial area regeneration.
“Internationalisation” is one of the three highlights of the Winter Expo, and this year’s event further strengthened the integration of global winter sports resources, with international participation exceeding 60%. As the Country of Honour, Italy appeared with a national pavilion featuring over 20 organisations and enterprises, displaying a rich array of winter sports equipment, ice and snow technology equipment, and winter tourism resources. Italy boasts well-developed winter sports infrastructure and a long tradition of winter sports, making it a renowned winter sports nation. The hosting of the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics and the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics have left a legacy of valuable Olympic assets and major event experience. The 2026 Winter Olympics will again be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Using the Olympics as a bond, China and Italy will further share Olympic experience and assets, achieving better linkage and continuity. With the Winter Expo as a platform, China-Italy ice and snow industry exchanges and cooperation enjoy even broader prospects.
Additionally, countries such as Austria, Japan, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, and Belarus showcased their service trade images and winter sports resources, covering industrial services, sports facilities, equipment manufacturing, winter sports culture, and winter sports tourism.
Over the past six years, the Winter Expo has consistently provided a better display platform for China’s winter sports forces and promoted the development of China’s ice and snow economy. At this year’s Expo, regional exhibition groups from Jilin, Heilongjiang, Changbai Mountain, Yulin, Altay and others fully demonstrated their achievements. At the Changbai Mountain stand, a bridge-shaped ski-run-inspired main structure was refreshing, and a large LED screen brought a dynamic “Heavenly Lake” to the venue, allowing visitors to sample first-rate winter sports tourism and resources. The Altay area presented distinctive ethnic song and dance performances and fur ski demonstrations that drew large crowds. The stand not only showcased Altay’s long-standing winter sports tradition but also its important progress in building a core area for winter sports tourism economic development.
Many well-known enterprises from home and abroad, through rich-media and multi-form exhibition methods, brought visitors face-to-face with the frontier of the global winter sports industry and the vitality of the ice and snow economy. TechnoAlpin exhibited dedicated models of snow-making equipment for major winter sports events, and a real snow-making scene on site instantly transported visitors to a snowy wonderland. AST presented an international-standard ice surface built within 48 hours, revealing solid technical strength, while diverse ice experiences and performances were also well-received by visitors. TRUE Sports, a centennial sports equipment brand, showcased its latest ice hockey gear, perfectly reflecting its rigorous manufacturing craftsmanship. In addition, well-known brands including Doppelmayr, Wintersteiger, HEAD, Snow51, Ouyue Ice and Snow, Sunac Ice and Snow, and Shangxue Sports all exhibited their latest explorations and achievements.
In the smart era, the concept of empowering the ice and snow industry with technology has been widely embraced. This year’s Winter Expo also gathered the most cutting-edge winter sports technology and the richest innovative outcomes, exploring the greater possibilities for industry development with technological support. In the Winter Sports Technology exhibition zone, smart venues, ice and snow “black tech,” event broadcasting technology, and winter sports wearable devices fully unleashed the imaginativeness of winter sports technology. In the indoor snow technology zone, visitors could experience the charm of indoor ski slopes and enjoy the fun that technology brings to the winter sports experience.
Enhanced Interactive Experiences & Diverse Supporting Activities Ignite Winter Sports Enthusiasm
The 2021 Winter Expo hosted a wide range of supporting activities, from two dimensions: promoting the ice and snow industry and popularising winter sports culture. Events such as the Winter Fashion Show and Winter Sports Shopping Festival provided exhibition platforms and business opportunities for participating companies, while also opening a window for the public to understand industry trends. At the specially set-up public stage area within the Expo, enterprises could efficiently present new products and results to get closer to consumers. Concurrent competitions and award selections helped quality winter sports enterprises quickly move into the spotlight, gain more industry attention, and attract greater resources.
To respond to the call of “engaging 300 million people in winter sports,” this year’s Winter Expo, with rich themed activities and innovative interactive experiences, created an immersive winter entertainment feast for visitors. The Winter Outdoor Gear Shopping Festival offered trendy and cool product experiences and highly attractive shopping benefits. The Winter Outdoor Fashion Show, with stylish designs and exciting runway presentations, was a feast for the eyes. Live ice shows, parent-child interactions, on-ice experiences, VR skiing and many other activities brought unique interactive fun, playing a significant role in stimulating public passion for winter sports and spreading winter sports concepts.
Pooling Quality Resources to Drive High-Quality Development of the Winter Sports Economy
Bringing together quality global winter sports industry resources and creating a stage for international winter sports organisations and enterprises to launch, showcase, exchange, and connect has always been the vision of the Winter Expo. On a global scale, the event continuously strengthens ties and interaction with winter sports powerhouses, introduces advanced foreign concepts and technologies, drives the development of regional winter sports economies in China and accelerates integration into the new development paradigm of dual domestic and international circulations mutually reinforcing each other. At the same time, through the ongoing organisation of industry research, industry awards, innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and other serial activities, the event ensures that industry matchmaking is grounded and explores more opportunities through exchange and integration. The “2021 China Ice and Snow Industry Research Report” provides intellectual support for national industry policy-making and offers effective reference for industry institutions and enterprises. The “2021 International Winter Sports Leading Brands” awards, with categories including Ski Resort TOP10, Popular Winter Tourism Destinations of the Year, and International Innovation and Entrepreneurship Brand Awards, gave outstanding global brands and quality projects a chance to shine. The “Sports Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition” tapped into innovative winter sports projects worldwide, exploring effective paths for the integration of the internet, mobile internet, and the ice and snow industry.
To further pool domestic and international quality resources, this year’s Winter Expo leveraged modern information technology to create a Cloud Winter Expo, bringing in renowned international brands and attracting quality buyers from home and abroad. Combined with the online Winter Expo platform, year-round online matchmaking activities such as “cloud exhibitions,” “cloud matchmaking,” “cloud negotiations,” and “cloud signings” were carried out, facilitating the signing and implementation of key projects in the 2021 winter sports industry.
Built on six years of accumulation and experience, this year’s Winter Expo promoted global winter sports exchanges with a higher vision, wider perspective, and more diverse formats, providing strong impetus for the promotion of winter sports in China and the establishment of a dual-circulation development pattern for the ice and snow industry at home and abroad. In the final sprint towards the 2022 Winter Olympics, the Winter Expo is also playing its window and connecting role, gathering global winter sports forces, providing comprehensive support to ensure a perfectly staged Winter Games, allowing more people to approach and understand winter sports, and helping the great goal of “engaging 300 million people in winter sports” be smoothly realised.
