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The Impact of Ice and Snow Sports Infrastructure Development on the Sports Industry in Western China
- 1 Ningxia Normal University, Ningxia, China
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This research investigates the effect of winter sports infrastructure development on sports sector in western China, mainly in three provinces, Xinjiang, Qinghai and Gansu. Infrastructure for winter sports has always been slow to develop in these regions as compared with more mature regions in Eastern China. This study considers the economic and social benefits such infrastructure generates: employment, tourism and more participation in winter sports. It is a mixed-methods study, collecting primary data from city councillors, urban infrastructure builders, sports experts and secondary data from tourism and economic factors. Results show that the investment in ski resorts, ice rinks and snowboard parks resulted in higher levels of tourism, employment and sport. But off-season usage and sustainability still aren’t in place. The paper report that the short-term economic benefits of infrastructure investment are obvious, but seasonal demand dynamics and the sports culture are both key to long-term winter sports sustainability in Western China. The results are helpful for policymakers and stakeholders planning to create an inclusive winter sports system in the developing world.
Keywords
winter sports, infrastructure development, sports industry, economic impact, tourism, job creation
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Cite this article
Liang,X. (2025). The Impact of Ice and Snow Sports Infrastructure Development on the Sports Industry in Western China. Journal of Applied Economics and Policy Studies,16,69-73.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
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Journal：Journal of Applied Economics and Policy Studies
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