China’s record-breaking indoor ski resort opens amid a global snow shortage

Despite record temperatures this summer in China, Shanghai has inaugurated the largest indoor ski complex in the world. Spanning more than 90,000 square meters, Snow World is the largest indoor real snow skiing facility in the world and hosts approximately 20 snow-themed entertainment activities. The usual mega infrastructures made to please but which no one actually needs

While snow shortages have become a growing concern around the world, China is already opening an indoor ski resort that has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as “the largest in the world“.

Following a month-long trial period, Shanghai L+Snow Indoor Skiing Theme Resort officially opened its doors to customers about a month after it had initiated trial operations-a gigantic indoor skiing complex.

A giant snow wonderland

Completed on an area of 1.05 million square feet, Snow World is equipped with three professional ski slopes, all together measuring about 3,940 feet. It also contains one large snow entertainment area for visitors to participate in different recreational activities. And it is not all about skiing; a huge complex like this has a water park, restaurants, shops, and hotels. An endless array of extravagant amenities that Shanghai-and arguably the rest of the world-might not have needed.

Since August, the resort has sold tickets during its trial operation, and until September 1 this year, it had already attracted almost 100,000 visitors. According to experts, it was the fascination with the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics that brought about this boom in China’s ice-and-snow industry.

Meanwhile, as the opening ceremony took place and visitors in snow suits hit the slopes, China marked its hottest August in 60 years.

Outside, temperatures reached 86°F (30°C) by 9 a.m. during the opening ceremony; that constitutes the hottest August on record for China since 1961, according to meteorological authorities, with a national average temperature of 22.6°C (72.7°F).

While three-quarters of the resort’s roof is covered with photovoltaic panels, projects of this scale cannot be without environmental impact, starting with the substantial energy consumption they inevitably require.