Austria is positioning itself to benefit from China's renewed push to develop its "ice and snow economy", viewing the policy highlight as both a market opportunity and a platform for deeper bilateral cooperation in winter sports and tourism.

In China's new 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the government has identified the "ice and snow economy" as a new driver of service consumption, while emphasizing the need to consolidate the legacy of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics by expanding participation beyond 300 million people.

For Austria, a country with a major alpine heritage, this evolving policy landscape presents long-term potential.

Emanuel Lehner-Telic, head of markets Asia-Pacific at Austria Tourism, said Austria has been actively engaging with China's winter sports sector since Beijing's successful Olympics bid.

"Historically, Austria has strong expertise in this field," he said. "We have been creating platforms and networks together with partners in China to bring Austrian tourism suppliers, infrastructure providers and equipment companies into the market."

Austria is also positioning itself as both a destination and a knowledge partner, with Lehner-Telic noting that China is rapidly emerging as a major winter sports market. "China is about to become the country with the highest total length of ski slopes and the largest number of individual skiers per year," he said.

Data from Austria's national statistics agency points to a gradual shift in Chinese travel patterns. While summer tourism continues to dominate, winter travel is

gaining ground. The share of Chinese overnight stays in winter rose from 32 percent in 2013-14 to 38 percent in 2024-25, with growth rates in winter consistently outpacing those in summer.

"This is a clear indication that the Beijing Winter Olympics and China's broader strategy to promote ice and snow activities are contributing to increased demand for winter tourism products in Austria," Lehner-Telic said.

Looking ahead, he expects the trend to continue. "Ice and snow sports are not just a short-term trend in China. It appears to be a strategically planned and sustainable development," he said.

Austria is leveraging its long-established alpine heritage to appeal to a new generation of Chinese winter sports enthusiasts. "Winter sports are part of our identity and daily life in many regions," he said. "What we offer is authenticity—modern infrastructure combined with a deeply rooted ski culture and high-quality accommodation."

At the same time, cooperation between the two countries is expanding across multiple areas. Austrian ski instruction organizations are already training Chinese instructors, while partnerships with indoor ski facilities, resorts and travel platforms are helping to introduce Austrian expertise to a broader audience.

Lehner-Telic said the rapid development of China's domestic ski infrastructure should be seen as complementary, rather than competitive. "The more people in China become familiar with winter sports, the larger the potential market becomes," he said. "As skiers gain experience at home, many will eventually look to destinations where the culture of skiing is deeply embedded."