The World Winter Sports Expo 2026 opened in Beijing with snowmaking equipment, smart ski-resort technology, winter tourism destinations and consumer sports products representing the expanding scope of China’s ice and snow economy.
Held from October 15–17, 2026, at the Shougang Convention and Exhibition Center in Beijing’s Shijingshan District, the event brought together approximately 300 brands from more than 20 countries and regions.
The exhibition occupied nearly 15,000 square metres and was supported by more than 20 conferences, forums and related activities. Over 200 industry representatives, experts, researchers and business leaders were scheduled to participate, according to China’s General Administration of Sport.
As a legacy project connected to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, the expo focused on three closely linked themes: upgrading the winter sports industry, integrating sports with culture and tourism, and applying new technologies to the outdoor economy.
Eight zones cover the winter sports value chain
The exhibition in Hall 2 was divided into eight specialised areas covering industrial equipment, tourism, resort operations, education and consumer products.
Exhibition categories included:
- Snowmaking and ice-making equipment
- Snow groomers and ice resurfacers
- Ski lifts, conveyor systems and slope infrastructure
- Indoor ski-centre construction
- Smart resort management systems
- Skis, protective equipment and winter apparel
- Winter tourism destinations
- Training and industry services
- Outdoor recreation and camping products
- Robotics for winter sports applications
This broad structure demonstrated how the winter sports business now extends beyond skis and sporting goods. It includes property development, venue construction, energy management, tourism operations, digital services, training, finance and intellectual property.
The official WWSE website positioned the event as a platform combining product exhibitions, conferences, resource matching and business negotiations across the international winter sports industry.
International brands target China’s winter sports market
Companies and delegations from Austria, Italy, Norway, Russia, Japan, Slovenia and Canada were represented at the exhibition.
Participating international brands named by the organiser included TechnoAlpin, Doppelmayr, PRINOTH, Fischer and Wintersteiger.
The National Pavilion Zone presented technologies and services such as:
- Smart ticketing and access-control systems
- Family snow-play facilities
- Professional ski servicing and waxing equipment
- Snow groomers and snowmaking systems
- Skis and other personal winter sports equipment
- Electric vehicles for snow and polar environments
The Austrian pavilion included companies such as Axess, Sunkid, Wintersteiger and PRINOTH. Their presence illustrated the commercial opportunities available to international suppliers in venue construction, resort operations and winter sports equipment.
For foreign companies assessing the Chinese market, technical performance alone may not be sufficient. Equipment must also be evaluated against local installation requirements, energy costs, maintenance capacity, operator training and after-sales support.
Companies entering the market will need local service arrangements and clear technical documentation, particularly for large equipment used by ski resorts and indoor snow centres.
Smart technology moves into ski resorts and equipment
Technology was one of the expo’s main themes. Exhibits included smart ski goggles, digital resort-management platforms, electric ice-resurfacing equipment and robotics.
A presentation on smart wearables examined how positioning, physiological sensing and communications technology could support skier safety, technique analysis and resort operations. The presentation used Huawei wearables to demonstrate how data from devices and sports equipment might be combined across the skiing experience.
A dedicated Robotics Application Zone also displayed products from Donghou Robotics and Yuto Intelligent Robotics.
The potential applications of robotics in the sector extend from inspection and maintenance to customer service, equipment transportation and work in difficult outdoor conditions. However, resort operators will need to assess these products against reliability, operating temperature, terrain, battery performance and integration with existing systems.
Smart technology may also help resorts understand visitor behaviour, manage queues, monitor equipment and improve safety. These capabilities could become particularly important as large indoor winter sports venues expand into cities without natural snow.
Low-carbon venues become an industry priority
Energy use presents a significant challenge for skating rinks, indoor ski centres and other winter sports facilities. Refrigeration, snowmaking, lighting and ventilation can make such venues costly to operate.
Discussions at the expo highlighted three routes towards lower-carbon ice and snow facilities:
- Increasing the use of renewable electricity
- Improving the energy efficiency of venues and equipment
- Replacing high-impact refrigerants with more environmentally suitable alternatives
International Olympic Committee Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi also addressed the event by video. He highlighted climate change, energy consumption and the long-term reuse of Olympic venues as issues requiring greater attention from the winter sports industry.
The commercial effect is that equipment suppliers will increasingly need to demonstrate more than initial purchase prices. Buyers will want information about energy consumption, maintenance, expected service life, refrigerants, spare parts and the total cost of ownership.
Environmental claims should be supported by measurable performance data. This will be especially important for indoor snow facilities operating throughout the year.
China’s ice and snow economy targets further growth
The Report on China’s Winter Sports Industry Development 2026 was released during the expo. According to the organiser, the report estimated that China’s ice and snow industry exceeded RMB 1 trillion in 2025.
The figure covers a wide economic ecosystem that includes sports participation, equipment manufacturing, tourism, cultural activities, venues and technology. It should not be interpreted as equipment sales alone.
China’s national policy provides further context for the industry’s expected growth. Guidelines issued by the State Council set targets for the ice and snow economy to reach RMB 1.2 trillion by 2027 and RMB 1.5 trillion by 2030.
The State Council guidelines call for improved sports facilities, stronger supporting services, wider participation, business development and greater international cooperation.
These targets indicate opportunities across several markets:
- Winter sports equipment and clothing
- Ski-resort and skating-rink infrastructure
- Indoor snow destinations
- Smart venue technology
- Training and education
- Winter tourism
- Energy-efficient refrigeration
- Resort management and consulting
Market growth will not be uniform. Companies should examine individual regions, customer groups and venue models instead of treating China as a single winter sports market.
Indoor facilities support year-round expansion
One of the most important developments is the spread of indoor winter sports venues beyond China’s traditionally colder northern regions.
Indoor ski centres and ice venues can bring winter sports to large urban markets throughout the year, but their development requires substantial investment in construction, refrigeration, snowmaking and operations.
An Ice and Snow Industry Investment and Development Platform was launched during WWSE 2026. Initiated by Sunac China and BONSKI with Victory Star Design, Eternal Star Ice & Snow and Bin Jarallah Group, the platform will focus on the investment, construction and operation of indoor winter sports venues.
The initiative is intended to connect capital, design, equipment and operating expertise. It also reflects the complexity of developing indoor venues: equipment suppliers, architects, investors and operators must work together from the planning stage.
For international technology providers, partnerships with local venue developers and service companies may offer a more practical market-entry route than standalone equipment sales.
Winter tourism destinations pursue four-season operations
The expo’s Winter Tourism Destinations Zone featured resources and projects from Beijing’s Shijingshan District, Xinjiang and Liaoning.
Destination presentations examined how ski areas and former competition venues can attract visitors beyond the winter season. Potential approaches include outdoor recreation, events, cultural attractions, wellness, family activities and digital visitor services.
Russia’s Rosa Khutor presented its experience of operating a former Winter Olympic destination throughout the year. International destinations including British Columbia, Sochi and LAAX also introduced tourism resources and potential cooperation opportunities.
This four-season strategy is commercially important because ski resorts face substantial fixed costs. Extending operations into the warmer months can help venues use infrastructure more efficiently and develop more stable revenue.
Liaoning prepares for the 2028 National Winter Games
Liaoning participated as the expo’s Guest Province of Honour and presented preparations for China’s 15th National Winter Games, scheduled for 2028.
Its exhibition areas covered preparations in Shenyang, Dalian and Fushun, alongside regional tourism resources and potential industry partnerships.
Equipment manufacturers and service providers may find opportunities connected to venue technology, event operations, snowmaking, ice maintenance, training and tourism development. Companies interested in these projects should monitor procurement requirements and identify appropriate local partners well before the Games.
Business matching connects suppliers and operators
WWSE 2026 organised product launches, procurement meetings, tourism-resource sessions and one-to-one business negotiations.
The professional audience included:
- Ski-resort and tourism-destination operators
- Winter sports equipment buyers
- Government sports and tourism departments
- Investors and property developers
- Ski clubs and training providers
- Universities and research institutions
- Equipment manufacturers and technology companies
For suppliers, the exhibition offered access to different customer groups across the winter sports value chain. The strongest commercial opportunities are likely to come from solving specific operational problems, such as reducing energy consumption, improving venue utilisation or making equipment easier to maintain.
Youth programme aims to expand participation
The expo also launched the “Ice and Snow Seeds in Thousands of Schools in Hundreds of Cities” programme.
The initiative plans to introduce winter sports courses and experiences to schools across China. Olympic and world champions Li Jianrou, Wang Bingyu and Zhao Nannan participated in its launch.
Increasing youth participation could support long-term demand for equipment, instruction, sports facilities and family-oriented winter tourism. However, converting introductory experiences into sustained participation will require affordable access, qualified instructors and suitable local venues.
WWSE reflects a broader winter sports market
The World Winter Sports Expo 2026 showed that China’s winter sports economy is developing into a connected market encompassing industrial equipment, consumer products, tourism, digital services and venue investment.
The strongest themes were smart technology, lower-carbon operations, indoor winter sports development and year-round use of venues.
For international companies, the opportunity extends beyond selling products at an exhibition. Long-term growth will depend on localisation, technical service, partnerships and a clear understanding of how China’s venue operators and consumers use winter sports products.
Companies looking for other sourcing and partnership opportunities can explore the China trade show calendar for upcoming exhibitions in Beijing and other major Chinese business centres.
