Camping trend goes wild, with room to grow

Stiff competition

Cui's camping business is among many that have paid greater attention to guest-oriented operations and content creation, according to the 2023 Camp Market Research Report conducted by the China Sporting Goods Federation's camping industry committee in June.

Although some obsolete camping businesses have been eliminated by market competition, the number of campsites nationwide has grown at a 30 percent rate annually, the report said.

It noted that the lower-tier markets are beginning to enter a stage of rapid development.

Picturesque mountains and waters, a strong pastoral atmosphere, ancient-style courtyards and camping tents have visitors flocking to the Hetang Yueshe (moon house over the lotus pond) campsite in Wufu, Nanping city of Fujian province.

"The campsite integrates the cultural characteristics of Wufu ancient town and provides recreational activities such as canopy barbecues, open-air cinemas, bonfire parties and tea brewing around a fire," said Liu Bin, a manager of the campsite.

Since its opening during the National Day holiday last year, the small getaway has received more than 8,000 visitors, Liu said.

About a two-hour drive to the southwest, Fulyu RV campsite in Taining county of Fujian offers accommodation in recreational vehicles, each of which is designed in courtyard style surrounded by greenery.

Additionally, each RV is equipped with a panoramic sunroof, allowing guests to enjoy a starry night while lying in bed.

In July, the campsite hosted dozens of teambuilding and parent-child events, a significant increase compared to the same period last year, said Xiao Yanping, a manager with the site that offers 24 RVs, 64 beds of various sizes, and a water park, barbecue, bonfire and tent camping.

Liu Yan, a senior official with the Beijing RV Camping and Self-Drive Tourism Association, said China's vast territory and abundant resources provide endless opportunities for the construction of campsites with creativity.

At the Sunshine Valley campsite in Miyun district, northeastern Beijing, a school was built in a forest setting where campers are given access to a wide range of intangible cultural heritage experiences, such as carpentry, leatherwear crafting, pottery and tie-dyeing.

At Dobu Camp in Huairou district to the west of Miyun, a cafe built in a cave gives campers a broad view of the grasslands below, while boating on the lake is also available.

The Beijing-based camping brand Lehero has fully tapped into the characteristics of various landscapes across the country and rolled out barbecues under starry nights, forest fun and immersion experiences on grasslands and deserts.

"The rise of the 'Camping Plus' concept has made camping increasingly diverse and given campers more options," Liu said.

To date, the integration of camping with sports, music, culture, food and health preservation, has given campsites a boost, she added.