Outdoor economy thrives as more people step out

Qian is also full of praise for outdoor sports.

Different from other sports activities where people spend two to three hours playing, outdoor activities often take one or two days, he says.

"Great ideas often come to me after I've spent a day climbing or hiking in the hills, taking in the beautiful views," he says.

Chinese consumers' newfound passion for outdoor sports and lifestyles has encouraged more brands to innovate and develop apparel and equipment for the outdoors.

Athletic apparel and equipment brand Lululemon has developed a hiking collection for the Chinese market. On May 23, Lululemon launched its first road-to-trail running shoe, Blissfeel trail, which offers greater traction and durability with an upper featuring a protective film and a rugged out sole for enhanced grip.

"Since the COVID-19 pandemic, more people began to go outdoors, and our Hike collection has been welcomed by our Chinese guests well, seeing faster growth in our total Play category," the company said.

According to a Mintel survey, consumers in China who choose professional outdoor sports brands are more concerned about the environment. They use outdoor sports gear more frequently in their daily life, and are more interested in socializing through outdoor activities. Outdoor sportswear should strike a balance between functionality and fashionable design, the survey report said.

Beneunder, a lifestyle clothing and equipment producer based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, has extended traditional outdoor products to urban occasions to reach more consumers.

"The outdoor economy is on the rise, with a shortage being discovered between wild outdoor spaces and urban centers," the company said. "Not everyone is about to climb the snow mountains, but a short trip to the city's outskirts to play Frisbee or just go into tents also creates an outdoor experience."

Based on these insights, the company has developed lightweight outdoor apparel, shoes and equipment for young city dwellers. It invested 632 million yuan in the first half of 2022 on research and development of scientific technologies including anti-cold, anti-fatigue and anti-heat technologies.

Sales of its folded sunglasses grew 1,300 percent year-on-year in the first six months of 2022, contributing to 7.1 percent of its overall revenues. During the May Day holiday, its retail stores saw a sales surge, with those at tourism hot spots like Chengdu, Sichuan province and Kunming, Yunnan province, topping the list.

The camping economy has found greater support from government policies.

In November, the Development Plan for Outdoor Sports Industry 2022-2025 was issued by eight ministries, including the General Administration of Sports. It showed that by 2025, the country would have an outdoor sports industry valued at more than 3 trillion yuan, and build more than 10,000 camping sites for outdoor sports.

A guideline issued by 14 ministries, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, has supported the orderly development of camping tourism and leisure activities.

Despite the high-speed development of the camping market since 2020, its penetration rate is merely 3 percent, according to iiMedia Research. The ratio is more than 10 percent in markets where there is a much longer history of camping and outdoor activities, such as in Japan and the United States, it said.

Li Jiqin, head of e-commerce of Mobi Garden, a producer of outdoor gear and clothing, said eight out of 10 users of camping products are new to the field.

The company has developed entry-level products, such as tent canopies, tables and chairs, as well as trolleys. He said new activities such as park camping, car camping and hike camping are being adopted now.

"We are optimistic about the market this year given the rising number of newcomers and the demand for more camping products from senior players," said Li.