Japanese resort set for investment as part of 2030 Winter Olympics bid
YTL Hotels’ Niseko Village in Hokkaido has been selected as the best venue for some alpine events as Japan prepares its bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics.
The decision by the local Sapporo City government followed an assessment of the slope, difficulty and snow quality of the area’s courses by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Inspectors decided the location provides the most suitable location for all four alpine disciplines – slalom, giant slalom, super-giant slalom (super-G) and downhill.
Officials are considering creating new courses for the downhill and super-G slalomin the Yu no Sawa area of the mountain, which is currently an off-limits and a permanently closed area.
Pre-existing courses are likely to be used for the slalom and giant slalom at Niseko Village.
"YTL Hotels and Sapporo City government will discuss the possibility of increasing the number of lifts and gondolas, and making the new runs permanent," said Dato’ Mark Yeoh, executive director and owner of Niseko Village and YTL Hotels.
Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is currently under construction and due for completion at Niseko Village for winter 2020.
The resort is also home to three other hotels including a Hilton hotel, the new all-suite hotel Hinode Hills, which opened in December 2019, and a row of luxury townhouses.
Niseko Village also has two golf courses, including the Arnold Palmer-designed Niseko Golf Course and extensive green season infrastructure including an adventure activity park.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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