From 'Internet Celebrity' To 'Sustained Fame' The Small Tent Supports The 'Poetry And Dream' in Life
With couple of friends, there is no need to travel far. Set up tents, hang triangular flags, open folding tables and chairs, and turn on ambient lights in the suburbs or parks... Camping has become a new choice for many people to travel during the "May Day" holiday.
For camping enthusiasts, compared with traditional tourism and leisure methods, outdoor camping has an open and private space, allowing people to relax better.
In recent years, camping in China has developed from a niche outdoor activity into a popular leisure pursuit across the country, becoming a "means of escape" for many travelers. According to data from Tianyancha, there are more than 197,000 camping-related enterprises in China, with over 6,600 new registrations in the first two months of 2024, representing a 5.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Behind the trend of camping, there is also a huge market booming. It is expected that by 2025, the core market of China's camping economy will rise to 248.32 billion yuan, driving the market to reach 1.44028 trillion yuan.
Outdoor camping cannot be separated from the use of food, shelter, and related products. From essential needs such as tents and barbecue grills, to derivative needs such as awnings, camping vehicles, and night lights, the continuously rising camping consumption has also driven the development of the upstream and downstream industry chain. Journalists visited many shopping malls and sports equipment stores in various places and found that in recent years, the sales of complete camping equipment have continued to grow.
On that day, reporters visited the Metro supermarket in Yinchuan, where a wide range of camping essentials, including tents, BBQ grills, and foldable chairs, were available at affordable prices.
A staff member told the reporter that camping equipment had been displayed prominently for sale about two weeks ago.
"Seizing the tail of the holiday, tomorrow I will take my child camping, and today I came to buy some equipment." Mr. Wang, a citizen, compared the camping strategy on the Internet while choosing the items. He said, "We will buy some necessary items first, such as tables, chairs, tents, and trolleys. We will slowly purchase the rest later."
For young people, camping has become a new way of socializing. Tang Qiang, a 90s citizen from Yinchuan, told reporters that his biggest hobby is camping. As the weather warms up, he often organizes everyone in his camping group to bring their camping equipment to participate in activities and exchange with each other. Not only is it relaxing and enjoyable, but it also allows him to meet new friends.
Several camping enthusiasts told reporters that originally camping only required a tent, sleeping bag, necessary food and water. Nowadays, camping is more refined and pursuit an atmosphere of luxury, including sky curtains, projectors, coffee machines, atmosphere lights, flowers, etc. The sense of ceremony is in full force.
The reporter came across several online posts on Xiaohongshu (a popular social media platform in China) about free camping sites in Yinchuan, such as Denonghe Belt Park, Haibao Park, and Sanshayuan. Many netizens commented that they would save these locations and go camping with their families soon, as the environment is great and free of charge. They can enjoy the beautiful scenery by the river and have a BBQ with their loved ones at the same time.
With the development of camping economy, new models have emerged one after another, such as "camping + scenic area", "camping + performance", "camping + study tour", "campsite + parent-child education", etc. Outdoor sports are becoming increasingly popular, and have penetrated all age groups. Last year, the camping crowd was mainly composed of young people, but this year, more and more families are going on trips, and it is becoming increasingly common to see four generations of people camping together.