After several decades of proposals that have failed to materialise, South Korea’s first indoor snow centre, Tiger World, opens on July 7.

Tiger World is located in Gyeonggi province, in the Bucheon Sang district. There’s a 270m main slope, the world’s 12th longest indoors, and an additional 70m training slope. Facilities include a bar, ski rental shops and other facilities will also be available. Prices range from 30,000 won (US$33) to 70,000 won (US$76), similar to the prices at outdoor ski slopes in the country.

Korea follows Asian neighbours Japan, China, Singapore and India in opening a major indoor slope. Malaysia and Thailand have small indoor snow facilities, Indonesia did have a slope, Waterfront City, but this has now closed.

South Korea will find out later this month at an IOC meeting whether it has been successful in its bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. It is one of three finalists. The country narrowly lost out to Vancouver four years ago in the contest to become host to the 2010 Winter Games.

Although Asia, particularly Japan, saw a boom in indoor snow slopes during the 1990s, Tiger World is the first new Asian indoor ski slope for two years since Qiaobo Ice and Snow World opened in Beijing in July 2005. It is also the first indoor snow centre to open in the world this year. Two more slopes are known to be opening in Manchester and Moscow within the next five months.