BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Despite the curtains closing on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the event has opened up a new vista for the Chinese market that might potentially reshape the world's ice and snow industry, as hundreds of millions of Chinese have developed a "crush" on winter sports and foreign investors are eager to pitch in.

TechnoAlpin Snow Making Equipment, a world-leading company in snow-making, has benefited from the Games as a major supplier of snow-making equipment, systems and related technical services to the competition venues.

"The privilege of supporting such high-end ice and snow events has been a great boost to our effectiveness and reputation," said Florian Hajzeri, general manager of the firm, noting that the Games provides "the most comprehensive and widest" opportunity for the company.

The passion ignited by the Games has stimulated unparalleled zeal for winter sports in the country. Zhou Xing, PwC China Sports Industry Leader, commended that ice and snow sports are among the hottest topics in China's society and have been carried out in over 30 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland.

"Driven by the Beijing Winter Olympics, business opportunities in China's ice and snow sports market have accelerated and become a 'blue ocean' in the eyes of foreign brands," said Wang Lei, snow market director of POMA Beijing Ropeway Co., Ltd.

"The number of participants in ice and snow sports in China has reached 346 million, and the participation rate of residents has reached 24.56 percent, which strengthened our confidence in the ice and snow industry," Wang said.