Squaw Valley-Alpine Meadows Sees Opportunity in Chinese Outdoor Retailer

In a bid to attract more Chinese skiers and snowboarders Squaw Valley-Alpine Meadows has partnered with Toread, one of the leading Chinese outdoor retailers. Toread is responsible for the design, development, production, and sale of all sorts of outdoor equipment. Their products range from shoes, clothing, tents and sleeping bags to hardware, office equipment, electrical and more. The Squaw partnership will likely only focus on skiing and outdoor products, and the partnership appears to only feature Squaw-Alpine; not any of the resorts acquired this year

“As the number of skiers and snowboarders in China continues to grow, our partnership with Toread will be critical in helping to raise awareness for Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows among Chinese winter sports enthusiasts and those generally interested in outdoor recreation and travel,”– Tray Chang, VP of digital marketing and director of China Marketing at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows

This partnership is not Squaw’s first attempt to tap into the massive and growing Chinese ski industry. Last year they partnered with Secret Garden, which is slated to host freestyle events in the 2022 Bejing Winter Olympics. Squaw is working to capitalize on the growing Chinese interest in skiing that stems from the upcoming Winter Olympics. Since 2000, the number of Chinese skiers has grown from 200,000 to 12.5 million in 2015; that number will continue to rise. As part of the agreement, Toread will offer information about Squaw and sell vacation packages in their 200 stores in China. Additionally, members of the Chinese media and Chinese actor Xia Yu will visit Squaw to promote the partnership.

This is just another chapter in the saga of Chinese skiers gaining more exposure to North American Ski resorts. Earlier this summer Grouse Mountain, B.C. was sold to a large Chinese investment group, and with the 2022 Bejing, Winter Olympics coming up Chinese interest in snow sports is sure to soar.