A series of stimulus measures -- including consumer vouchers, enhanced medical and security services, and upgraded cultural tourism offerings -- are fueling a boom in ice and snow sports across China during this year's new ski season. The Lake Songhua Resort of Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province, recorded over 5,000 reservations for its opening day on Saturday, up more than 10 percent from the first day of last season's operation. The rise can be attributed not only to clear weather and suitable temperatures but also to the resort's upgraded facilities and services. The ski area has been expanded to 2.3 million square meters this year, with newly added ski pistes, including those for mogul runs, enriching freestyle skiing options. In addition, more than 50 events and activities scheduled throughout the season will provide visitors with a more vibrant and engaging winter vacation experience. Many ski resorts are located in remote mountainous areas, where cross-regional emergency response for skiing-related injuries has been a key focus. As participation in winter sports continues to climb, safety measures have also been elevated. This year, the Lake Songhua Resort has introduced helicopter rescue support. Using 5G communication and an intelligent management system, helicopters can reach the resort from hospitals in Changchun City, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, within just 30 minutes. Jilin Province has also established multiple winter sports injury treatment centers at the provincial, municipal, and county levels. Every ski resort is equipped with temporary medical stations staffed by healthcare professionals, enabling a rapid medical response if needed. In addition, Jilin Province -- home to more than 70 ski resorts -- is set to distribute over 100 million yuan (about 14.07 million U.S. dollars) in consumer vouchers this season, applicable at all licensed ski areas within the province. Some resorts are also offering free ski passes to college students from northeast China. Improved transportation has provided another boost to this season's popularity. Jilin City has launched shuttle bus services connecting Changchun Longjia International Airport to two major local ski resorts, allowing visitors to go directly from airports to ski resorts. "Currently, 28 daily shuttle bus trips operate between Changchun Longjia International Airport and the Beidahu Ski Resort, the Lake Songhua Resort, and downtown Jilin. We have established a dynamic dispatch mechanism. In case of a sudden surge in passengers, we arrange vehicles from nearby locations within 10 minutes, with additional buses arriving at pickup points such as the airport and ski resorts within 30 minutes. Up to 50 additional trips are on standby for flexible deployment," said Guo Juncheng, deputy director of the transportation bureau of Jilin City. To make travel more convenient for visitors, 180 new energy ride-hailing vehicles have been deployed in the city, dedicated to serving the two major ski resorts that experience high passenger flow. Notably, all vehicles are equipped with standardized ski racks to address the challenge of transporting bulky ski equipment. "Last ski season, we piloted ski racks in some of our vehicles and received very positive feedback from skiers. This year, based on preliminary research, we uniformly designed and customized ski racks compatible with both ski and snowboard equipment. Featuring multiple fixation points, they could effectively protect skis and snowboards from damage during transit," said Tian Feng, general manager of a Jilin City-based car service company. Yuan Kaiqi, a visitor from central China's Henan Province, said, "The ski rack turned out to be really practical. My 160 cm skis fit perfectly, and they stayed completely secure throughout the journey to the resort. It also saved a lot of space inside the vehicle." In preparation for the new season, over 100 Bed and Breakfast (B and B) hotels near the ski resorts have undergone upgrades, with some adding new amenities including EV charging stations and multi-functional vending machines. Local restaurants, while continuing to offer representative dishes of the northeastern region like iron pot stew, have also expanded their menus with a range of regional dishes to cater to diverse visitor tastes. "To accommodate visitors from different parts of the country, our kitchen has added classic Sichuan dishes and other distinctive northeastern stir-fries. Last year, we served between 20,000 to 30,000 customers. This year, trends look even better -- we're expecting around 30,000 to 40,000 guests," said Wang Miaomiao, a restaurant owner in Jilin City's Yongji County. Beyond the northeastern provinces, the National Alpine Skiing Center in Beijing's Yanqing District -- the first Olympic-standard alpine ski venue in China -- also officially opened its slopes on Saturday, marking the start of the 2025-2026 ski season in Beijing. Coinciding with the opening of the ski season is the launch of the 2025-2026 Beijing Ice and Snow Consumption Season, which will run through March next year. The city has introduced a winter sports venue guide system, covering 48 ice and snow facilities. Through a single platform, visitors can look up venues, make bookings, access training information, and claim consumer vouchers. As temperatures continue to drop, major ski areas in and around Beijing have begun snowmaking operations, with most slopes expected to open sequentially from late this month through early December. SHOTLIST: Jilin City, Jilin Province, northeast China - Nov 22, 2025 1. Aerial shots of ski resort; helicopter; 2. Various of winter sports injury treatment center; patient receiving medical checks; Jilin City, Jilin Province, northeast China - Recent 3. Aerial shot of shuttle bus station; 4. Passenger handling luggage; 5. Aerial shot of shuttle bus moving; 6. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Guo Juncheng, deputy director, transportation bureau of Jilin City (ending with shots 7-9): "Currently, 28 daily shuttle bus trips operate between Changchun Longjia International Airport and the Beidahu Ski Resort, the Lake Songhua Resort, and downtown Jilin. We have established a dynamic dispatch mechanism. In case of a sudden surge in passengers, we arrange vehicles from nearby locations within 10 minutes, with additional buses arriving at pickup points such as the airport and ski resorts within 30 minutes. Up to 50 additional trips are on standby for flexible deployment."; 7. Aerial shot ski resort, mountains; 8. Various of shuttle bus station; passenger getting in bus; 9. Aerial shots of shuttle bus moving; 10. Various of driver installing ski racks; ski rack; 11. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Tian Feng, general manager, Jilin City-based car service company (starting with shot 10/ending with shot 12): "Last ski season, we piloted ski racks in some of our vehicles and received very positive feedback from skiers. This year, based on preliminary research, we uniformly designed and customized ski racks compatible with both ski and snowboard equipment. Featuring multiple fixation points, they could effectively protect skis and snowboards from damage during transit."; 12. Various of ski rack; 13. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Yuan Kaiqi, visitor (ending with shot 14): "The ski rack turned out to be really practical. My 160 cm skis fit perfectly, and they stayed completely secure throughout the journey to the resort. It also saved a lot of space inside the vehicle."; 14. Various of ski rack, snowboard; ski rack on vehicle's roof; 15. Various of food in pot; people eating local food; 16. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wang Miaomiao, restaurant owner (starting with shot 15/ending with shots 17-18): "To accommodate visitors from different parts of the country, our kitchen has added classic Sichuan dishes and other distinctive northeastern stir-fries. Last year, we served between 20,000 to 30,000 customers. This year, trends look even better -- we're expecting around 30,000 to 40,000 guests."; 17. Various of people eating; 18. Aerial shot of city view, traffic; Beijing, China - Recent 19. Snow groomer at work; 20. Various of travelers in changing room; 21. Various of travelers renting skis; skis. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]