Italian firms eye China's winter sports and leisure market

From cableway and trail maintenance to ski gear and ski wear, Italian brands are eyeing China's booming winter sports and leisure market. More than 30 Italian winter sports and leisure brands displayed their products at the ISPO Beijing, a major sports and fashion expo, in late January.

The four-day expo brought together more than 460 exhibitors from more than 20 countries and regions.

Speaking about the event, Italian ambassador to China Ettore Francesco Sequi says: "Some of our enterprises have successfully made inroads into the Chinese market. And, in the field of winter sports, Italy has a long tradition of hiking."

He also expects China to continue investing in infrastructure and services as the country prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The winter games is expected to give rise to 340 million visits by Chinese winter travelers, according to a report by the China Tourism Academy.