Chinese opt to stay at home, hitting domestic ski slopes, amid rising political tensions with Japan

At the same time, the Winter Olympics in Italy have drawn fresh attention to skiing, giving China’s snowy northeast an opening to attract skiers who might otherwise head to destinations like Hokkaido prefecture.

Bookings from China to Hokkaido’s capital Sapporo are forecast to plunge 62% in the first two months of 2026 from a year earlier, according to marketing and research firm China Trading Desk.

Beidahu, a top resort area in China’s Jilin province, saw hotel reservations jump as much as 70%, the firm estimated.

Chinese social media has been filled with posts from skiers pivoting to domestic resorts. For some, the shift is not only political: skiing at home is cheaper and…