The Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway, which started operation at the end of 2019, has shortened travel time from the capital to just one hour.

Zu Zhiwu of the Chongli district administrative examination and approval bureau says district authorities have streamlined approval procedures to help hotel brands get a foothold in Chongli. The approval period for a hotel has been shortened from between two and three months to about 10 days.

"The location near Beijing with convenient traffic and skiing resources are the key factors for international hotel chains to choose Chongli," says Chen Wei, marketing manager of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in Chongli.

The Olympic town currently has 160 hotels.

"There will be a total of 184 hotels in Chongli by the time the Winter Olympic Games in 2022 roll around. So far, 34 hotels have been designated as the games' official reception hotels," says Zu.

The skiing destination received 4.42 million tourists in 2019, bringing in tourism revenue of 3.33 billion yuan ($469.6 million). More than 30,000 local people are employed in the tourism sector, which also draws talent from big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

With more high-end hotels, Chongli is attracting an increasing number of tourists with more diversified experiences such as catering, fitness and entertainment, among others, says Liang Lifang, a local tourism official.