From December 12 to 14, 2025, the 13th Austrian Winter Sports Days was successfully held at the Xiaohaituo National Alpine Ski Center in Yanqing, Beijing. The event was jointly organized by the Commercial Section and the Tourism Section of the Austrian Embassy.
Generously supported by HEAD Sport GmbH, Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH, and numerous Austrian brands, the event brought together over 200 government representatives, winter sports professionals, and media delegates from China and Austria for exchange and collaboration.
The Conference commenced with opening remarks by Mr. Franz Roessler, Commercial Counselor at the Austrian Embassy in Beijing. During the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by Ms. Yan Haiying, Deputy Mayor of Yanqing District People's Government of Beijing Municipality, and H.E. Mr. Wolf Dietrich Heim, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to China. Feng Qi, General Manager of Doppelmayr China, delivered a keynote speech titled “Smart Ropeway: Driving a New Future for China's Ice and Snow Industry”.
During the Conference, participants witnessed two significant signing ceremonies. The Commercial Section of the Austrian Embassy in Beijing and Beijing BG Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd. reached an agreement on deep cooperation in ski resort digitalization, ski instructor training, winter sports events, and winter sports industry exhibitions, jointly advancing development in snow sports, tourism, and conference industries between the two nations. The Tourism Section and Commercial Section of the Austrian Embassy signed a tripartite strategic cooperation agreement with BONSKI. This agreement will foster in-depth collaboration in technical exchange, tourism promotion, talent development, and market operations within the winter sports industry, jointly advancing resource integration and innovative development in Sino-Austrian winter sports industries.
Following the signing ceremony, industry experts engaged in in-depth discussions on two core themes: “From Equipment Innovation to Resort Ecosystems: Unlocking the Potential in Northern and Southern China's Ice-Snow Industry through Sino-Austrian Partnership” and “Riding the Winter Wave: How Austria Can Tap China’s Snow-Sports Boom - and What China Can Learn from Austria’s Lasting Winter Olympic Legacy”. The subsequent welcome reception provided an ideal setting for professional networking and business negotiations.
The following day, the 13th Austrian Winter Sports Ski Race powered by HEAD commenced with fervor. Approximately 80 athletes from Austria, China and Italy showcased their skills on the slopes that hosted the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Elite skiers challenged themselves and competed for gold medals at the birthplace of Olympic medals.
Following the intense competition, the Austrian Hüttenabend Gala Dinner immersed attendees in authentic Austrian culture. The top three finishers from each of the six ski race categories were invited to the Gala Dinner, where they received participation certificates, medals, and generous prizes provided by HEAD, CASA, and Red Star, all witnessed by the guests. A comfortable setting, delicious cuisine, and captivating performances provided guests with ample opportunities for in-depth exchanges. A prize-packed raffle brought the event to another climax following the ski race, delivering a perfect conclusion.
With over a century of winter sports heritage, Austria has hosted two Winter Olympics and one Winter Youth Olympics. Austrian companies in winter sports technology lead globally, setting industry standards in ski and outdoor equipment manufacturing, training, winter sports infrastructure, and tourism. Austrian firms stand as global leaders in the winter sports sector.
