&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Young instructors carry women down the slope at Chinese ski resort in weird companionship service")
A ski resort in China is offering strange birthday services to women who are too scared to go down the slope themselves. A video showing a man holding a female guest in his arms and going down the slope has stirred controversy in the country. The strange birthday service came to light when a woman identified as Zhao posted photos from her birthday celebration at the Northeast Asia Ski Resort in Shenyang, Liaoning province, SCMP reported. This resort has the most ski runs in China. The woman's video shows an instructor in white carrying her down an outdoor slope, while she holds red balloons and has her arms around the man's shoulder.
Other instructors standing nearby can be seen wearing orange and holding celebratory banners, with flowers, a cake, a speaker and coloured smoke completing the picture. Zhao said she spent 5,000 yuan (US$700) on the service and highly recommends others try it too. Jimu News reported that the birthday package at the ski resort is customisable and can be switched depending on the budget.
The resort staff told the outlet that it has an official "carry skiing" service, and the birthday package falls under it. If a person doesn't know how to ski, but wants to enjoy the activity, they can opt for this service where the instructor carries the guest on his back or his arms and goes down the hill, letting them soak in the view. While Zhao spent 5,000 yuan on it, the service costs 300 yuan (US$40) an hour per instructor, each of whom is professionally trained and holds coaching certifications.
Netizens react to ski companionship
Social media in China is abuzz with this ski activity that is yet another companionship service with a promise of emotional value. A netizen saw how the company of a young man might attract more visitors to the resort and boost winter sports. Others called out the risk of the instructor losing his balance and toppling over, while someone else pointed out that the two people are too close for comfort.
