GRINDELWALD, Switzerland, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) — The Jungfrau ski region in Switzerland is expecting more Chinese ski lovers in the near future.
With China’s recent adjustment in COVID response management, Jungfrau has prepared for a surge in Chinese tourists this ski season.
“It’s very important to give our most valuable customers from China a very special welcome. We have carved rabbits in ice because it’s the Chinese Lunar [New] Year of the Rabbit. It’s the first time,” said Urs Kessler, CEO of Jungfraubahnen Management.
Jungfrau is famous for its world-class skiing tracks, including the longest downhill piste in World Cup races of the International Ski Federation (FIS), and three FIS World Cups will be held here this weekend.
The name of Jungfrau means maiden or virgin. In China, Jungfrau is famous for its breathtaking view.
“We try to invite skiers from China to our region, and invite them to explore and to develop new programs here,” said Kessler.
Ski-loving Chinese are a new target of Jungfrau as winter sports are getting more popular in the populous country. By October 2021, over 346 million Chinese people had participated in winter sports or related leisure activities since 2015, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics.
Jungfrau is trying to make skiing easier for Chinese skiers, as well as those from South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia.
“I think the most important is to make skiing as easy as possible for everybody. You come in the morning and then you get the whole equipment here and get into the sport,” Kessler added.
Every Saturday, skiing on Jungfrau is free to children. “I think an important law of the development of the sport is to bring young people to ski. The children also get equipment free of charge,” Kessler said.
Kessler has set up a cooperation with a Chinese food company to open a noodle restaurant in the center of Grindelwald Terminal, a new multi-function transportation connection for the three mountains in the Jungfrau ski region.
“I think we have a great future and we received great help from Jungfrau. We’ve prepared different flavored noodles for every guest from Asia,” said Michael Shi, CEO of Lototravel, who opened King Noodle Bar last month in the terminal.
“I strongly believe that China has unbelievable potential for the future. That’s the reason why we have these promotions,” Kessler added.