Department store| Camping outdoors - catering to the hottest new travel trend in China
Camping and outdoor activities are booming in China。The popularity of camping reflects a long-term growth in interest in outdoor sports and activities, as well as a trend toward shorter and local trips driven by the epidemic。Emerging industries have brought many new opportunities to the outdoor activity industry。We discuss the growing trends and drivers of camping in China, and how investors can access the various relevant segments。
Camping has become one of the hottest new trends in China's tourism industry。Department storeDomestic travel companies have reported a surge in camping searches during the recent holiday season, and sales of camping gear are growing at triple-digit rates。The trend reflects a new direction in tourism, as consumers move away from traditional package Tours and COVID-19 restrictions make short nature breaks more attractive to city dwellers。It also marks a growing interest in outdoor activities and sports, opening up a range of new possibilities for travel companies specializing in outdoor travel。
The market is hot, but there is also considerable room for growth。According to Kampground, the National Camping Association, more than 50 percent of Americans participate in outdoor activities。In China, the figure is still below 10 per cent。As living standards continue to improve and younger generations aspire to get back to nature, outdoor activities and sports are expected to continue their upward trend, creating exciting new growth markets for investors。
In this article, we'll explore the trends driving the camping boom and discuss the opportunities that companies in the camping and outdoor activities space can take advantage of。
Key travel trends and drivers for the camping industry
The maturity of Chinese tourism
The rise of camping marks the long-term maturity of tourism。Organized tour groups that shuttle tourists between attractions have become increasingly obsolete, especially for younger consumers who prefer the flexibility and freedom offered by free or customized Tours。Many seasoned travelers have knocked major domestic cities and destinations off their wish lists and are now looking for something different and more adventurous。Younger generations who grew up in wealthy families will also have experienced family vacations at a younger age - something that many older generations did not enjoy - and are therefore more open to new forms of leisure and travel。 China is rich in natural beauty and diverse environments, most of which have only recently begun to be explored (for leisure purposes) by intrepid travelers.。 As in many other parts of the world, camping in China is closely associated with other outdoor pastimes such as hiking and road trips。As a result, the camping trend has the potential to spark interest in a wider range of outdoor activities, such as hiking, mountaineering, fishing, and road and bike trips。
COVID-19 is driving an increase in short trips and staycations
The pandemic has played a major role in driving the recent surge in camping activity。As frequently changing and unpredictable local travel restrictions become the norm, many people choose to stay closer to home, as evidenced by the popularity of city breaks, staycations and excursions。Data from Ctrip, a Chinese travel platform, showed that more than 70 percent of bookings for scenic spots last year came from the surrounding areas, and more than 80 percent of bookings for hotels, tickets, entertainment and other products came from the surrounding areas。Two days before the trip。According to Ctrip, more than 50 percent of the bookings on the eve of the holiday were for destinations in users' provinces, while bookings for short trips increased by 20 percent on the eve of the holiday。Dragon Boat Festival holiday。This phenomenon also means that travel is no longer limited to holidays and long weekends。The growing popularity of last-minute weekend city breaks is good news for travel companies looking for more opportunities to spend。This short-distance trend will continue as China adopts a "normalized" COVID-19 containment approach, which includes frequent COVID-19 testing, sudden short-term lockdowns, and increased testing requirements for inter-provincial travel。 With green Spaces and campgrounds near most cities, camping is perfect for excursions and weekend trips。Rural and suburban areas are accessible even from sprawling metropolises such as Shanghai and the surrounding Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, and many metropolitan areas also have large green Spaces。
Rural revitalization and outdoor activities promotion
The central government is keen to encourage the development of outdoor activities as part of its "rural revitalization" strategy and policies to promote fitness and exercise for all。Rural revitalization is a policy aimed at developing poor rural areas and balancing the economic gap between urban and rural areas。Developing rural tourism and activities is seen as a way to create more opportunities for the rural population, who would otherwise have limited scope for work。 Government departments have issued a number of policy documents on the development of outdoor activities。One of the documents is the 14th Five-Year Plan for Sports Development (the 14th Five-Year Plan), which aims to promote sports and fitness activities by improving infrastructure, services and public awareness。While not specifically mentioning camping, it does actively seek to develop several adjacent industries and expand China's outdoor recreation economy, in addition to establishing RV showcases。 The "14th Five-Year Plan" specifically sets up the development of outdoor sports, including winter sports, mountain sports, water sports, motorcycle driving, air sports, cycling, marathon, triathlon and so on。
In March 2022, the National Rural Revitalization Bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued the Opinions on Developing National Fitness Services.。Comments request:
We will carry out trials to open up outdoor sports for natural resources, and formulate a list of outdoor sports activities that are allowed in existing natural areas such as waters, airspace, forests and grasslands。Encourage outdoor sports equipment manufacturing enterprises to expand into the service industry。Construction of ice, snow, mountain sports, hiking trails, bicycle trails and other facilities。Improve parking, power supply and water supply, sanitation, communication, signage, emergency rescue and other outdoor sports infrastructure and service capabilities, as well as showers, changing rooms, storage rooms and other facilities。In response to the policy, travel companies such as Ctrip and Alibaba's Flying Pig have rolled out their own rural revitalization plans, often partnering with large hotel brands to increase investment in rural tourism by helping local businesses with online operations, training, training and more。And brand building。
Market Overview: Where to invest？
"Glamping" and luxury nature vacations
"Glamping," a combination of "glamourous" and "camping," has become a hugely popular choice for tired office workers seeking a more upscale and comfortable natural respite than the humble, traditional campsite。Many luxury camping sites are located in suburban green Spaces and parks, making them ideal for weekend getaways or short breaks。However, for those seeking a longer stay, there are also luxury country resorts in more remote areas。 Many campsites and operators offer full packages that include luxury tents, meals, and entertainment, so guests don't need to know how to pitch a tent or barbecue to enjoy the camping experience。
Focusing on comfort and aesthetics, high-end luxury tents priced between 3,000 and 4,000 yuan ($444 to $592) and supporting products (such as portable coffee makers, barbecue grills, lighting, foldable camping) are increasingly popular furniture。 For foreign investors, the shift in travel habits in China has opened up a range of new areas to tap as consumers seek new outdoor adventures and bespoke experiences。 Glamping, which is actually regular camping, is also not limited to overnight stays。Pitching a tent in a local park to enjoy a daytime picnic is a popular pastime during the warmer months, opening up more opportunities for sellers of outdoor gear such as tents and picnic gear。
Outdoor sports equipment and supplies
The outdoor sports and activities industry has been growing rapidly over the past decade as more and more people head outdoors during their time off。Growth has stabilized somewhat in recent years, likely because many types of outdoor equipment are very durable and used infrequently, meaning repeat purchases are becoming less common。 However, with continued improvements in incomes and living standards and a greater emphasis on health and well-being, the sector still has great potential for further growth。Outdoor consumption in China is still relatively low compared to developed markets, but with the current explosive growth of camping, we are likely to see the emergence of new consumer groups。
In addition, research shows that consumers are willing to spend more money specifically on camping gear。A survey by iiMedia Research showed that consumers used to spend an average of 6,995 yuan ($1,035) on camping gear.。其中，26.Five percent previously spent less than 3,000 yuan ($444) on camping gear, while 25 percent.Nine percent spent between 3,000 yuan and 5,000 yuan ($740) in the past year, 47 percent.Six percent spent more than 5,000 yuan in the past year。Data from e-commerce giant JD.com showed that searches for camping products surged 145 percent year on year from April to mid-May 2023, while transactions for rescue equipment, tent MATS, extreme outdoor activities supplies and picnic supplies increased 256 percent。They were 229%, 165% and 165%, respectively。 Major players in the outdoor equipment space include Nordisk, Snow Peak and Kolon Sport in the high-end market, as well as Decathlon, Mobi Garden and Kailas in the mid-market。
China Camping RV
China's RV market is still relatively small compared to developed regions such as the United States and Europe, but it is still an area to watch。According to market Research firm Intelligence Research Group, China's RV market has grown from 2.2 billion yuan in 2014 (3.$25.9 billion) grew to RMB20.8 billion ($3.1 billion), a compound annual growth rate of 45.48%。Rv ownership has also increased more than tenfold during this period。 The industry also has huge growth potential。 The U.S. and Europe have 30 and 15 RVS per 1,000 people, respectively, compared with zero in China, according to Intelligence Research Group.2辆。 The regions with the highest sales of RV are Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Beijing。The number of RVS approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has also continued to rise year by year。
Camping and outdoor fashion
Although it may seem counterintuitive to camping and outdoor culture, there is a clear emphasis among the new camping crowd on aesthetics as well as feeling warm and comfortable。Outdoor apparel and footwear are the largest segments of the outdoor products market, accounting for 46% and 22% of the market, respectively, by 2021。
China camping segment market
In fact, the boom in camping and outdoor sports has made outdoor fashion a trend even on city streets。Major brands that have found success in China include Patagonia, ARC'TERYX, The North Face, Jack Wolfskin and others。Camping naturally goes hand in hand with other outdoor sports and activities, and its rise in popularity has coincided with the spread of activities such as hiking, biking, trail running, fishing and mountaineering, as well as so-called self-activity。
The rise of camping has opened up opportunities for travel companies to offer a range of activities combined with camping, such as bespoke outdoor Tours。In addition to vacation planning between families and groups of friends, such trips are becoming increasingly popular for corporate outings and team-building trips。These types of trips are particularly attractive to novice and inexperienced travelers who are not yet familiar with the outdoors。
Invest in the future of China's outdoor industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the tourism industry, with the vast majority of Chinese consumers already excluded from international travel due to strict quarantine requirements for inbound travelers from China。However, China's tourism industry has been able to recover significantly since the outbreak due to the large size of its domestic consumer base, which has been keen to rediscover the country and its natural beauty all these years。
It is in this context that the popularity of camping has increased。The camping trend also demonstrates the resilience and flexibility of China's tourism industry, as well as the new opportunities that can emerge even under severe restrictions。Since the focus of camping is on short trips to nearby areas, camping is also affected in the future when Chinese tourists can travel internationally again, as many camping trips are taken on weekends and short holidays。
Meanwhile, the rise of camping over the past few years marks a long-term shift in the way Chinese travel - with a focus on nature, customization, and an emphasis on lifestyle and well-being。Many consumers have only recently experienced camping for the first time and are eager to get outdoors again。For investors, this offers a range of new areas beyond camping as consumers seek new outdoor adventures and experiences。