Asia’s largest ski resort will be built in China’s far western region of Xinjiang. The idea is to boost tourism in the remote Kanas area. If it is done properly there is little doubt it will work.The government of Xinjiang’s scenic Kanas area has already signed an investment deal worth RMB5 billion ($730 million) with the Hong Kong-listed Mongolia Energy Corp to develop the ski resort over 10 years.
The site for the Kanas International Ski Resort is at an average altitude of about 2,000 metres in an area normally covered by snow from November to May.
The ski resort will also include an artificial lake, golf course, hotels and villas.
Construction is scheduled to start next year and be completed in five phases over 10 years.
The agency quoted Kang Jian, the director of the Kanas scenic area, as saying the local tourism industry had rebounded since July with currently about 7,000 to 8,000 visitors daily to Kanas.
Monsters and Critics quoted Kuresh Mahsut, the vice chairman of the regional government, as saying that the rioting in July had ‘seriously affected Xinjiang’s tourism industry’ with most tourists cancelling plans to visit the region.
He said, "The situation is stabilizing and tourism is recovering."
No doubt by the time the ski resort is open it will be well above the norm.
