by sportswriter Li Chunyu

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- At the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) held at Beijing's Shougang Park from Wednesday to Sunday, sports experts highlighted how outdoor and winter activities are fueling growth in China's sports economy.

Shougang Park itself stands as a model of how outdoor and winter sports can reshape industrial heritage. When Beijing prepared for the 2008 Olympic Games, the Shougang industrial base underwent large-scale relocation to meet the commitment to a green Olympics. The factories fell silent, leaving behind blast furnaces and cooling towers as relics.

The Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games gave Shougang a chance at rebirth. Big Air Shougang, built against the backdrop of the industrial structures, became the only snow competition venue in Beijing's urban area. This year, it will also host the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash and the FIS Snowboard and Freeski Big Air World Cup.

"Shougang has connected industrial relics, Olympic legacies and outdoor sports well, with snow events staged in the Winter Olympic venue attracting tourists from China and abroad," said Ding Yunxia, associate professor at Shanghai University of Sport.

Ding pointed to Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, as another example of creative urban use. "The open-air green fields under bridges can host various sports activities such as football and frisbee, which can be combined with the 'night economy' to improve the brand effect of the city's integrated development of culture, sports, business and tourism," she said.

According to guidelines issued by the General Office of the State Council earlier in September, China aims to build globally influential sports companies and events by 2030, pushing the industry's scale beyond seven trillion yuan (about 985.2 billion U.S. dollars).

Outdoor activities such as running, cycling and mountain climbing are increasingly popular, with research institutions predicting that the market value of China's outdoor sports industry will exceed three trillion yuan by the end of 2025.

"The development of outdoor sports has brought new and greater growth vitality to the sports industry, which can enhance the consumption level of food, accommodation, transportation, tourism, shopping and entertainment," said Wang Ping, deputy director of the sports facilities and equipment center of the General Administration of Sport.

"In achieving the 'seven trillion yuan' target, outdoor sports and the ice-and-snow economy are key aspects," Wang emphasized.

At CIFTIS, the Beijing Sailing Center promoted its training courses and events. "Water sports in summer are favored by young people. In water sports, people can immerse themselves in nature and relax," said Wang Yitan, brand development manager at the center.

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games recently unveiled its first competition calendar, with triathlon potentially producing the first medal. "The arrangement of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics reflects the international recognition of outdoor sports, promoting triathlon to a global stage," said Feng Baozhong, director of the China Triathlon Sports Association.

Meanwhile, the ISU Figure Skating Olympic qualifier will be staged at Beijing's National Indoor Stadium from Sept. 19 to 21, as top skaters compete for Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic berths.

"Ice and snow economy has never been absent in the development of China's sports industry. The Beijing Winter Olympics was a powerful engine, while the promotion of ice and snow culture and the cultivation of young talents also contribute a lot," said Wang Xueli, director of the Center for the Development of the Sports Industry at Tsinghua University.

"The growth of China's winter sports not only benefits from the maturity of the global industry but also injects new impetus worldwide," she added. ■