(IPS)

feature In a winter of drought where the only natural colour of the parched Beijing countryside is brown, one stumbles from astonishment at the discovery of a gleaming patch of snow hidden among the barren western hills and the scattered peasant houses.

The strip of snow shines not far from the resting place of the Ming Dynasty emperors the famous Shisanling tombs where 13 reigns of Chinese rulers and their concubines are buried.

Indeed, the surroundings might be breathing ancient history but the newly-opened Snow World ski resort has an utterly modern ambition: teaching Chinese people the basics of a sport once regarded as "bourgeois" and "decadent".

The snow is artificial and the site has only one gentle slope, served by three trailer lifts. Yet located just 30 minutes' drive from the capital, Snow World is proving already popular with China's new rich. They arrive in their own cars and many sport their own ski equipment.

Against the bright blue sky, rookies and masters cheerfully slide down the slippery slopes, ride snowmobiles or bounce down the hills on rubber tyres all to the loud accompaniment of Chinese pop music blaring over huge speakers.

"Chinese managers never get things right," scoffed one British skier. "They don't understand that nature has to be left alone, there is no need for orchestration like in a shopping mall."

Hot spot

The serenity of the scene might be far from the Swiss Alps, but Chinese entrepreneurs are determined to make skiing a huge success in the country as more and more well-off people warm up to winter outdoor sports.

Beijing appears set to become a hot spot of this winter skiing obsession. Snow World is the smallest of six ski resorts that have opened in the capital's outskirts in the past 18 months.

All of them are private ventures, relying on know-how and equipment from Germany and the United States. The largest resort is at Nanshan, near the Miyun reservoir, which opened in December and boasts a double-chair lift and a 1,500-metre run for advanced skiers.

At Snow World, managers promise to introduce dog sledges, horse-drawn sleighs and snowboarding. "This is going to become big business, if everyone goes five or six times a season," says Li Xuemin of the Beijing Tourism Office.

"We already have 5,000 people at the weekends, mostly rich youngsters coming in their own cars," says Peng Shengxin, an official from Shi Jinglong skiing resort, in Yanqing county.

The potential is huge. Although skiing or the purchase of ski equipment is not at all affordable for the average Chinese, the country has gone ski-crazy. Mountain and winter sports tourism attracts four million tourists, of whom 1.2 million are skiers. According to the China Tourism Administration, there is skiing in 13 provinces and autonomous regions.

As the city chosen to become host of the 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing is striving to spearhead the ski fad, although its climate is too dry for enough snowfall. With six skiing grounds on the outskirts, the capital is planning to start organising ski tour groups from southern China.

"This year we plan to combine winter sports with other traditional activities from the New Year to Spring Festival (in February)," Li from the Beijing Tourism Office said.

Rudimentary services

In the past days of egalitarian China, Communist leaders scoffed at the idea of promoting leisure sports such as skiing, as they were considered "aristocratic" and elitist.

Nowadays, developing winter tourism in a place like the capital is part of the big scheme to spur consumer spending and sustain the growth of Chinese economy.

In recent years, Chinese leaders have introduced three week-long holidays to encourage tourism, travel and mere shopping. The Lunar New Year, which usually falls in February, is the most cherished and elaborately spent holiday.

By offering winter sports in Beijing's outskirts for this Lunar New Year the Chinese capital is hoping to attract many to its hotels and restaurants. "Those who chose to come to our ski grounds will also have a chance to let off firecrackers," says Li of the traditional revelry that has been forbidden in the capital.

Still, Beijing has a long way to go in becoming a premier world skiing destination. Scarce snow cover and limited ski runs are only part of the problem.

Those who cherish the winter warmers accompanying skiing, such as mulled wine, the warm red wine with spices that many skiing lodges in Europe and America serve, or friendly lodges with fresh meals, would be disappointed.

Services on Beijing ski resorts are rudimentary and catering very simple.

"I know how big the gap is between our resorts and any international ski resort in developed countries," sighs Lu Jian, president and major designer of Beijing' biggest ski resort at Nanshan. Soon, he brightens up: "But we have a bright future."