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iSuite Insight Issue #23: Decoding China’s Winter Skiing Phenomenon: Marketing Trends and Insights in 2026
Introduction
Winter skiing in China is no longer a niche sport reserved for professionals or elite travelers. By early 2026, skiing has evolved into a mainstream lifestyle trend, seamlessly blending athletics, fashion, entertainment, and social expression. From first-time skiers and families to young urban consumers seeking seasonal adventures, skiing is increasingly woven into how Chinese consumers define their winter lifestyle, and how they tell their stories online.
At the center of this shift is Xiaohongshu (XHS/RedNote), where users search for, plan, and share about skiing. They turn to the platform to discover ski destinations, learn beginner techniques, seek outfit inspiration, evaluate safety concerns, and share emotional moments on the slopes. Leveraging proprietary iFans data, this report decodes consumption pattern of skiing content, what audiences truly care about, and how brands can strategically engage with China’s growing ski lifestyle ecosystem.
Overview: Skiing as China’s Rising Winter Lifestyle
China’s winter economy continues to gain momentum, driven by growing participation in ice-and-snow activities, improved infrastructure, and strong cultural interest following major winter sporting events such as Winter Olympics. Skiing, in particular, has become a gateway activity by combining sport, travel, fashion, and social identity. Unlike traditional sports, skiing in China is content driven that amplified by social platforms, and emotionally charged that associated with freedom, scenery, and self-challenge.
Skiing is therefore best understood not only as a winter sport, but as a content category and lifestyle signal.
Key Market Statistics
According to People’s Daily estimates, China’s ice and snow industry grew from RMB 270 billion in 2015 to around RMB 970 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed RMB 1 trillion by 20251, driven by rising participation, tourism consumption, and infrastructure development. Analysts also forecast that from December 2025 through February 2026, winter tourism trips could exceed 360 million, generating nearly 450 billion yuan (~USD 64 billion) in revenue2.
On Xiaohongshu, this offline growth is strongly reflected in digital behavior. Over the past year3:
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- #Skiing (#滑雪) accumulated 4.95 billion views
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- #SkiCommunity (#雪友圈) reached 450 million views
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- “Parent-child skiing” surged +92.86% year-on-year, and “beginner skiing” grew +59.89%, highlighting rapid expansion beyond core enthusiasts.
China’s skiing market is scaling structurally, while Xiaohongshu captures rising interest, education needs, and lifestyle-driven demand in real time.
Source:
1: China Daily: China expects huge surge in winter tourism
2: People’s Daily: China expected to see 520 million trips in ice, snow leisure tourism during 2024-2025 winter season
3: 小红书雪人节3.0
Insights from iSuite: Understanding China Ski Audiences on Xiaohongshu
Audience Demographics
iFans data shows that ski-related engagement on Xiaohongshu is overwhelmingly driven by female users (83.7%), with only 16% male. Engagement is highly concentrated among younger audiences, with nearly 60% aged 18–34, and a notable 21.31% under 18, underscoring the role of Gen Z and Gen Alpha Chinese consumers and young millennials in driving the trend.
In terms of interest-based segmentation, sports and fitness lifestyles (46.3%) and travel and outdoor interests (26.8%) dominate ski audiences. Together, these profiles indicate that skiing resonates most with audiences who value self-expression, aesthetics, wellness, and shareable experiences, making emotional storytelling and visual appeal critical on Xiaohongshu.
Top Ski Hashtags by Engagement
High-engagement ski hashtags on Xiaohongshu highlight skiing as a multi-layered experience, spanning:
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- Emotional passion
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- Skill learning
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- Equipment and outfit styling
The diversity of hashtags suggests that audiences engage with skiing at different stages, from aspiration and learning to self-presentation. For brands and destinations, this means a single-angle approach is insufficient: effective ski content should address multiple intent layers, including emotion, practicality, and aesthetics simultaneously to capture broader user intent.
Trending Note Categories on Xiaohongshu
Trending ski-related notes on Xiaohongshu fall into three main categories: experience sharing and entertainment (60%), education and guidance (25%), and commercial promotion (15%).
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- Experience-led content dominates, with personal stories, humor, and emotional expression driving high interaction and community resonance.
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- Educational notes focus on beginner techniques and safety, generating active question-driven comment sections.
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- Commercial notes with branded ski campaigns, apparel endorsements achieve strong exposure, particularly when combined with creator influence.
Overall, the distribution highlights Xiaohongshu’s community-first nature, where skiing content primarily builds emotional connection and trust, while branded content performs best when embedded naturally within authentic lifestyle narratives.
Audience Needs Analysis on Xiaohongshu
Audience engagement reveals four core ski-related needs:
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- Destination discovery: Users frequently ask where ski resorts are located and whether they are suitable for beginners, showing Xiaohongshu’s role in destination evaluation
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- Outfit and equipment guidance: Outfit-related discussions underscore skiing’s strong fashion and comfort dimension
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- Travel and planning: Planning questions reflect budget and logistics concerns
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- Techniques and safety: Safety and skill inquiries are critical for confidence-building.
As skiing involves high perceived risk, users actively seek reassurance on social media platform. Ski content on Xiaohongshu helps reduce participation barriers by combining inspiration with practical reassurance.
China Ski Audiences’ Preferences and Brand Performance
Most Popular International Ski Destinations on Xiaohongshu
Xiaohongshu data shows sustained interest in both short-haul and long-haul international ski destinations.
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- Premium, Aspirational Skiing: France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria maintain strong aspirational appeal, associated with alpine scenery and premium ski culture.
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- Convenience and Familiarity: Japan and South Korea stand out for convenience, accessibility, and cultural familiarity, making them especially attractive to first-time or repeat skiers.
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- Distinctive Snow Landscapes: Destinations such as Canada and Finland further attract users seeking distinctive landscapes and bucket-list experiences.
These patterns indicate that skiing serves as a bridge between practicality and aspiration: users balance ease of travel with the desire for unique, visually compelling experiences that are highly shareable on social platforms.
Observations from the Top 3 Business Notes on Skiing
Top 3 performing business-related ski notes on Xiaohongshu demonstrate how brands across different sectors successfully integrate skiing into seasonal storytelling. Lifestyle and platform brands such as Didi and Taobao, alongside apparel brands like GOFANS, use skiing as a narrative device to connect with consumers emotionally rather than positioning it purely as a product showcase.
A common characteristic No.1 and 2 posts is the involvement of celebrity creators (檀健次 and卢昱晓), whose large fan bases significantly amplify reach. More importantly, these collaborations frame skiing as an expression of freedom, aspiration, or everyday joy, allowing brands to participate naturally in winter conversations without disrupting the community-driven tone of the platform.
Social Opinion Snapshots: Sentiment Around Skiing
Sentiment analysis shows that user responses to ski-related content are largely positive:
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- Positive: 44.5%
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- Neutral: 33.3%
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- Negative: 22.2%
Approximately 44.5% of comments express admiration, excitement, or appreciation for scenery and skill, reinforcing skiing’s strong emotional appeal. Neutral comments, accounting for 33.3%, are largely informational in nature, reflecting curiosity and planning intent. Negative sentiment, while smaller at 22.2%, is primarily associated with safety concerns and rule-related criticism. Users occasionally express anxiety about risk, improper slope usage, or lack of regulation. These discussions highlight the importance of clear safety communication and responsible representation within ski content.
Key Takeaways for Marketers
1. Skiing is Transforming into a Lifestyle
Ski culture has moved beyond niche sports into lifestyle inspiration, as it increasingly tied to self-expression, fashion, and aesthetics.
2. Xiaohongshu is a Central Decision Platform
From destination search to outfit insights and planning tips, Xiaohongshu acts as both inspiration engine and trust filter for ski travel decisions.
3. Multi-Dimensional Ski Content Wins
Brands that combine emotional storytelling, educational guidance, and lifestyle relevance (not just product drops) see deeper resonance and better conversion potential.
Conclusion
In 2026, skiing stands at the crossroads of sport, lifestyle, and content culture in China. As Xiaohongshu continues to define how users discover, evaluate, and share ski experiences, brands that understand skiing is more than just a seasonal activity but a human, emotional, and social activity, will be best positioned to connect with China’s growing winter audience.
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