Leaping into the great outdoors

"Safety, durability, practicability and pretty appearances are important when I design camping essentials," he says. "Our brand focuses on lightweight, easy storage and multifunction."

Earlier, like many Chinese campers, when he went camping, he associated it mainly with hiking or backpacking.

Many people have taken up camping in recent years, he says, after being attracted to glamping, which started becoming popular in China in 2020.

Alibaba's e-commerce platform Tmall recently published a consumption trend report on the Labor Day holiday, revealing the popularity of camping-related merchandise among Chinese shoppers, who also paid much attention to what to wear and what sports to do while camping.

On Tmall from April 20 to May 4, the sales of canopy tents rose 2100 percent and the sales of outdoor coffee pots, tables, chairs and barbecue plates rose 300 percent, compared with the same period of last year.

"The sales of our camping essentials have been increasing greatly since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020," says Hong Chen, in charge of sales for the domestic outdoor brand Naturehike, which makes camping, hiking and mountaineering equipment. The brand recently raised funds of about 100 million yuan.

During the Singles Day shopping festival last November, the brand sold goods on Tmall valued at 18.25 million yuan, 412 percent more than in the corresponding period in 2020, with more than 50,000 orders.

The brand focuses on developing products to cater to the diverse demands of users, bringing about 150 to 200 new products to the market annually.

It also markets lines in collaboration with brands in other fields, such as apparel and automotive, and demonstrates its products in music festivals and variety shows.

Its products are also exported. While Western customers like larger equipment that last longer, especially the kind that can be used in caravans, Asian users prefer products that are easy to store and transport, with elegant designs.

"There have been more female campers in China in recent years, and there are more campers from first- to second-tier cities, from outdoor tourism lovers to youngsters, and parents traveling with children," Hong says.

Camping equipment is being designed to be more comfortable, in a glamping way, rather than lightweight and small as in the past. Users have shifted their preference to large camping tents for more people, and to equipment with good aesthetic designs.

Wu Liyun, an associate professor of the China Academy of Culture and Tourism at Beijing International Studies University, says:"Due to the pandemic, local and peripheral tours have become the main trends in China's tourism market, and camping is an example of a rapidly emerging category."

She suggests that the government draw up a plan to allow tourists to camp at suitable parks in suburban and urban areas and establish new campsites. Authorities should also improve standards in camping so as to maintain the industry's development.

As for operators, Wu suggests they combine camping with other fields such as hotels and homestays to provide novel accommodation experiences for visitors. They should also offer colorful camping products and themed activities such as outdoor sports, and improve infrastructure and services, especially for caravan campsites.