Mr Greg Dingle, a researcher and educator focusing on sport and climate change at La Trobe Business School, questioned the sustainability of indoor ski resorts especially amid China’s climate pledges.
“Producing temperatures indoors that are cold enough for ski activities requires energy, lots of energy,” Mr Dingle said.
“Given the energy-intensity and likely tourist visitation of indoor ski resorts, my assessment is that they are likely not environmentally sustainable.”
Other experts like Mr Liu Daizhong, East Asia director at the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), noted severe environmental impacts which come with indoor ski resorts that use significantly higher energy and water consumption as compared to traditional outdoor ski lodges and resorts.
“Climate change has a significant impact on the ski tourism industry,” Mr Liu told CNA, adding that indoor resorts were expected to operate all year round and “rely entirely on artificial snowmaking and cooling systems” which could lead to substantial electricity and water consumption.
“Without effective energy-saving technologies, large-scale energy-intensive facilities like this could weaken China’s efforts to achieve its carbon neutrality goals,” Mr Liu said.
Citing the example that if Chinese skiers are required to commute in a carbon-neutral manner to the resort, and stay in carbon-neutral accommodations, Mr Dingle believes it “perhaps is possibly consistent with the 2030 and 2060 climate commitments.”
When asked how L+SNOW resort could serve as a model for sustainable tourism, the operator told CNA that consumers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai previously had to fly to snowfields in Northeast China or even farther abroad, which “generated considerable carbon emissions during the trip.”
“But now, they don’t need to travel far to go skiing, making it more economical and energy-saving.”
Mr Ma, the ski instructor, says he sees a bright future for winter sports in China.
“Indoor ski resorts will have a positive impact … it’s not limited by seasons or weather, allowing more people to experience the joy of skiing at any time,” he said.
“Skiing should focus more on popularising and promoting the sport to encourage greater participation, while simultaneously raising public awareness about environmental protection, contributing collectively to the preservation of our planet.”
