Research on the Development Strategy of Ice and Snow Tourism Industry in Wuhan Based on SWOT Model
Wang Shuwen*,
Lu Jing,
Wang Peini
School of Economics, Wuhan Business University, Wuhan 430056, China
Abstract:
With the continuous implementation of the national strategy of “Expanding Ice and Snow Sports to the South, West and East”, ice and snow tourism is no longer limited to northern China. More and more southern cities have started to layout relevant industries, and exploring suitable local development paths has become a key research hotspot in the cultural tourism industry. As an important central city in central China, Wuhan has unique basic conditions for the development of ice and snow tourism industry. Taking Wuhan’s ice and snow tourism industry as the research object, this paper sorts out the current development status of the local industry and analyzes its various influencing factors, so as to summarize targeted development strategies applicable to southern cities and provide references for similar domestic cities. Adopting the literature review method, field investigation method and SWOT analysis method, this study conducts a comprehensive analysis from the four dimensions of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The research results show that Wuhan’s ice and snow tourism industry enjoys favorable development foundations benefited from its superior geographical location, complete transportation network, rich cultural tourism resources, supportive local policies, growing public enthusiasm for ice and snow consumption, and in-depth integrated application of digital technologies. However, the further development of the industry is restricted by insufficient natural ice and snow resources, weak local ice and snow cultural atmosphere, high costs of artificial snowmaking and venue maintenance, and intense market competition from a large number of similar projects inside and outside Hubei Province. Based on the SWOT analysis results, this paper formulates four types of development strategies including SO, WO, ST and WT strategies, and puts forward specific countermeasures in terms of building characteristic cultural tourism IPs, reducing operating costs through technological empowerment, cultivating local ice and snow culture, implementing differentiated operation of venues, and optimizing cost management. The research conclusions can not only promote the stable and high-quality development of Wuhan’s ice and snow tourism industry, but also provide practical development ideas for other southern cities in China to carry out ice and snow tourism projects.
Keywords:
Wuhan City; Ice and Snow Tourism; SWOT Analysis; Development Strategies