Episode Details

On a wintry weekend with temperatures hovering just above freezing, an indoor ski dome in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, buzzed with the sound of beginners shrieking their way down the slopes, many of whom had never touched a pair of skis before.

在一个气温徘徊在零上几度的寒冬周末，位于中国东部江苏省无锡市的一座室内滑雪馆里，初学者的尖叫声此起彼伏。许多人滑下雪坡时都尖叫连连，其中不少人还是第一次接触滑雪板。

"It's my first try," said local resident Wang Yue, still brushing off snow after a fall. "But I've already picked up the basics. I'm determined to become a cool, skilled skier this winter."

“这是我第一次尝试，”当地居民王悦（音译）说着，仍在拍打身上的积雪，刚摔了一跤，“但我已经掌握了基本技巧。这个冬天，我决心成为一名酷炫又技术娴熟的滑雪者。”

The Wuxi facility, mid-sized by regional standards, draws nearly half a million visits a year and generates more than 180 million yuan ($25.5 million) in sports-related spending. It is one example of how regions without natural snowfall are cashing in as China's winter sports season gains momentum.

无锡滑雪场按地区标准属于中型规模，每年接待游客近50万人次，创造逾1.8亿元人民币（合2550万美元）的体育相关消费。随着中国冬季运动热潮兴起，该滑雪场成为无天然降雪地区借势盈利的典型案例。

As temperatures drop, more regions are turning ice and snow into economic activity. According to an official industry report, China's ice-and-snow sector is expected to surpass 1 trillion yuan this year.

随着气温下降，越来越多的地区正将冰雪转化为经济活动。根据官方行业报告，中国冰雪产业规模今年有望突破1万亿元。

Sports boom

体育热潮

Northern China, where winter arrives early and lasts long, remains the country's primary arena for winter sports. On Nov 29, the northernmost city of Mohe in Heilongjiang province welcomed its first snow-tourism charter train of the season as more than 300 travelers set out to chase ice sculptures, forest landscapes and fresh powder.

中国北方地区冬季来得早、持续时间长，仍是全国冬季运动的主要舞台。11月29日，黑龙江省最北端的城市漠河迎来今冬首列冰雪旅游专列，300余名游客踏上追寻冰雕、森林景观和新雪的旅程。

In Harbin's Yabuli, a steady stream of visitors has arrived since the ski resort opened its sl