Outdoor sports to leap on infra support

China aims to develop its outdoor sports sector and cultivate new economic growth points by building about 100 high-quality outdoor sporting venues and destinations by 2030, a new guideline said.

Developing the outdoor sports sector stands as an important way to meet the growing consumer demand for exercise and physical well-being. It will also help promote national fitness and other related sectors, said the guideline published by the National Development and Reform Commission and the General Administration of Sport of China this month.

The document noted that China plans to build internationally renowned outdoor sports destinations with well-equipped facilities and high-quality services, and the country aims to organize different kinds of sporting events and competitions at such venues, driving significant growth in the sector.

With high-quality outdoor sports resources and projects, China aims to strengthen the industrial agglomeration and business integration of the sector by upgrading facilities, services and quality of events organization, the guideline said.

"In 2023 and 2024, the government issued some favorable policies for the outdoor sports sector, and the sector maintained rapid growth, becoming an important driving force in promoting the growth of China's sports sector," said Yang Xuedong, director of the sports economy department at the General Administration of Sport of China, during a recent industry conference.

"So far, a policy system has been basically established for the coordinated development of the outdoor sports sector at the national, provincial and city levels," Yang said.

In 2025, the total output value of the outdoor sports sector is expected to top 3 trillion yuan ($412.7 billion), according to a report on the development of China's outdoor sports sector (2023-24) released by the administration late last year.

Currently, those living in the largest Chinese cities have indicated higher spending potential for outdoor sports participation, as consumers have been pursuing high-quality and trendy lifestyles, and their preferences have an impact on the growth trend of the entire consumption market. In addition, second, third and fourth-tier cities are expected to see high potential for future sales growth, the report found.

China aims to develop the outdoor sports sector in an orderly manner and improve accessibility to related destinations and venues while ensuring the protection of the environment. By upgrading outdoor sports products and services, consumers are expected to enjoy better overall experiences.

China also plans to organize more national and mass-market sporting competitions, and strengthen international cooperation in organizing such events, the guideline said.

In particular, ice and snow sports have maintained their high popularity in the outdoor sports sector, and the growing market acceptance has continued until the present, fueled by the holding of the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.

The number of passenger trips related to ice and snow tours in the 2024-25 winter season is expected to reach 520 million, and revenue in the ice and snow leisure tourism market is likely to exceed 630 billion yuan, said the China Tourism Academy.

This winter, comprehensive domestic spending on leisure and entertainment related to ice and snow tourism has already grown 46.6 percent year-on-year, said Meituan, a major on-demand service platform.

Chinese consumers' enthusiasm for skiing has also boosted sales of skiwear and related equipment. From Christmas last year to Jan 1, online sales value of skiwear and related gear jumped over 50 percent year-on-year, according to Alibaba's e-commerce platform Tmall.

Over the same period, Isee Migga, a Hangzhou, Zhejiang province-based skiwear and equipment maker — known for designing products with vivid colors — saw its sales value surge over 500 percent year-on-year.

During the two-week period starting from the week before the Spring Festival holiday, the online sales value of outdoor equipment such as kneepads and hiking canteens surged over 260 percent year-on-year, Tmall said.