During this May Day holiday, outdoor sports and travel attracted a wide range of public interest and participation across China.
Young visitors moved from fishing lure sessions to Stargaze via telescopes in Nanjing Lake Lake in Jiangsu Province, eastern China. Located in the autonomous counties of Aba Tibet and Chiang in Sichuan Province in southwestern China, the scenic area of Signyan Mountain has launched over 10 outdoor adventure routes, including hiking, mountain trekking and rock climbing, including catering for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.
Over 400 million people are engaged in outdoor activities in China. The development of outdoor sports offers a wide range of social benefits. It meets the growing public demand for physical health, advances China’s national fitness campaign, stimulates related industries, and presents great possibilities for future development.
The number of outdoor sporting events and leisure experiences is growing, and it is rooted in scenic destinations around the country.
At Shangri-La in Yunnan Province, southwestern China’s China province, a network of hiking and cycling trails serves as a venue for prominent events such as the Yunnan International Road Cycling Race and the Yunnan Highlands Lakes and Mountains Series.
In Nanxun, Huzhou, Zhijiang County, in eastern China, visitors enjoy activities ranging from nocturnal fishing and hot expansion to orienteering through ancient towns.
In Chongli, Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province in northern China, night skiing allows thrill seekers to run down snowy slopes under a star-filled sky, evoking the sense of flight just above the Earth.
These diverse outdoor experiences serve as powerful engines to transform picturesque natural environments into sources of sustainable economic development.
China is steadily promoting the development of outdoor sports destinations to ensure the timely achievement of its goal of building around 100 high quality outdoor sports destinations by 2030. Its vast territory and spectacular landscape make the country well placed to utilize world-class natural resources in this effort.
Outdoor tourism development will also be woven together with China’s comprehensive rural revitalization strategy. A rural triathlon was held in West Exit County, a combination of swimming, road cycling and cross-country running. The event catalyzed economic activity that online and offline sales of agricultural products amounted to over 5.8 million yuan ($807,737).
Surrounded by lush mountain ranges, the scenic Cangle Valley in Byes Bye Bye’s Autonomous County in Yunnan Province, a tourism development model focused on outdoor leisure and lifestyle attracted over 70,000 visitors and about 3 million visitors in 2024.
Traditionally, rural areas, densely packed with forests, rivers and mountains, have been deemed economically inadequate for agriculture and industrial development. Today, many of these regions are leveraging natural donations to develop premium outdoor destinations, thereby creating new opportunities for local growth.
High quality outdoor destinations not only stimulate local cultural and tourism development, but also help expand related industries.
For example, China’s outdoor apparel industry is experiencing rapid growth. Zhijiang has introduced a “3-hour supply circle” for the manufacture of outdoor jackets. Sun Jiaojiang composite fabric, Linhai waterproof zipper, Shaoxing Keqiao fleece liner, Sanmen’s final meeting. This close supply chain illustrates how sports and commercial integration accelerate industrial synergies and strengthen supply and demand with each other.
In the Guangdong Hong Kong Macau Greater Bay Area, beginner surfers ride the waves under specialized guidance. Along the Yellow River, the rally race brings pulse pound excitement. In Hubei, digital outdoor sports maps enhance smart infrastructure and services. What used to be niches and fringes activities has now become part of everyday life.
By turning “small sports” into “big industries,” and combining active government support with dynamic market mechanisms, China is turning innovative concepts into concrete advantages.
Zhou Renjie (People’s Daily)