THE CHINESE WHITE GOLD

Winter sports Wild East

Synopsis

Chinese new middle class can now enjoy a sport they knew nothing about until recently: skiing. So far, it remains a quiet family experience. However, this craze has led to a shortage of adequate facilities.

With their extensive experience in winter sports, some westerners are targeting this growing market. Paul Bojarski crisscrosses the most remote parts of China on horseback in search of the right spots to build ski resorts.

Like in other areas, the Chinese see big and are quick to invest in this white gold, to learn how to manage the tourists and even to implement stringent safety rules. As of now, skiing is only for a passionate handful of several thousand. But 10 years from now, they should be 20 million.