Liupanshui city is an ideal place for ice and snow sports in low-latitude areas where ice and snow cover lasts for more than three months and the average temperature is only 3 C.
Relying on its unique climate and terrain, Liupanshui has built four ski resorts and 18 ski tracks for both athletes and amateurs since 2012. The four ski resorts can fit a total of 20,000 people. Liupanshui makes use of the popular ice and snow sports to help alleviate poverty for 156,900 people in 197 nearby villages, providing them with jobs at the resorts and a share of the profits.
Owing to the development of ice and snow sports and the tourism they bring, the total annual income of nearby villages has increased to 47.28 million yuan ($7.35 million), lifting 62,000 people out of poverty.
Liupanshui has welcomed in the arena of 446,000 skiing amateurs from Guangdong, Chongqing, Yunnan, Sichuan and other provinces since the winter activities were held last year. This sort of "poverty alleviation through sports and tourism" greatly boosts the local economy and brings countless business opportunities, leading to prosperity and fortune for all.
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A lovely boy frolics about in the snow at the Plum Blossom Mountain Tourism Resort in Liupanshui city, Guizhou province on Jan 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
