The route map of the Joyful Road of Winter Olympics.

[Photo via chinadaily.com.cn]

To promote the development of sports and tourism in Beijing and Zhangjiakou, host locations of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, a 236.3-kilometer track named "The Joyful Road of Winter Olympics" will be built to link tourist attractions in the two cities with Olympic competition venues.

The project, which was announced at a news conference on Wednesday, has been launched by the Beijing Olympic City Development Association, Beijing's municipal bureau of culture and tourism, bureau of sports, the local governments of Chaoyang, Changping and Yanqing districts, as well as the government of Zhangjiakou, which is in neighboring Hebei province.

The aim is to create a sports track that connects competition zones in Beijing and Zhangjiakou within approximately three years. It will function as a place for leisure and fitness, participation in sports events and sightseeing, and is designed to meet the growing needs of the public for sports such as cycling, running and hiking.

The design of the route has been finalized, signs for some sections have been put up, and a WeChat mini-program will soon be launched to provide a range of convenient services. The main route has 19 service stations, some of which will have a similar appearance and standards of service.

According to Gao Yunchao, deputy director of the Beijing Olympic City Development Association, the stations will serve athletes on the track, providing supplies, accommodation, specialty dining options, medical care and emergency services.