Outdoor firms enjoying profitable adventure

Outdoor activities such as hiking and camping are no longer an adventure for only a small group of people. Nowadays, more youngsters from big cities are joining in as well. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"With the government's continuous efforts in supporting the sports industry, it is the right time now to begin this project to meet the booming market demands for outdoor activities," said Chu, on his company's partnership with Discovery Communications.

There are currently more than 20 outdoor adventure parks－some of which are home to biking, trekking and rocking-climbing clubs－that are running in Shanghai and Zhejiang.

Sun Haibing, a physical education expert and athlete who once rowed a boat across the Atlantic, is the owner of one such club, and he can personally attest to the major growth of the outdoor activities market in the past decade.

"About 10 years ago I attempted to start a business focusing on outdoor activities such as teaching teenagers how to kayak or ride a bike in the mountains, but I did not succeed because there was a lack of awareness and passion for outdoor activities," said Sun, who added that such activities then were deemed to be "dangerous" and "suitable only for professional athletes".

But the scenes every weekend at Kayak Bike Run, the outdoor activities club that he opened in suburban Beijing in 2014, tells a very different story these days.

"Every weekend, about 200 teenagers come to the park. The market is booming. I don't even need to advertise about the programs I have－those who have participated in my activities soon tell their friends about it and they bring more participants the following weekend," said Sun.

Getting ready for outdoor activities

While outdoor activities can be exhilarating, there is always a danger factor that participants must be mindful of. The China Mountaineering Association reported that there were 63 deaths in the country related to outdoor sports activities in 2014, while even more people were injured due to inadequate preparation and protection.

Timothy Tsang and Ken Chew, two certified trainers from Hong Kong, provide tips on making outdoor activities safe and fun:

People

Make sure that you know the background of the person who will be leading the activities or the trip. How skilled is he? Does he have certification or a track record to show? Does he have operating procedures?

Also, find out about the other participants who are joining the trip and assess the experienced to inexperienced ratio. Ask yourself if you are proficient enough for the activity. If you doubt that you can perform the tasks without risk, do not attempt it－sometimes in life, you don't get a second chance.

Place

Know the place you are going to and look for past travel reviews by others who have been there. Pay close attention to the weather forecast, especially rain and lightning risks. For water-based activities, avoid going during the raining season as the rise in water levels could result in flash floods and the strength of the undercurrents could prove disastrous.

Equipment

Know what you need and bring only what you know how to use for the trip. Practice using new equipment before a trip to find out if it suits your needs. Make sure that the settings for your equipment are all ready so you won't fumble when you need them. Be sure not to bring along too much equipment either as this can become unnecessary dead weight that someone might have to share with you. The guiding principle is to put everything you want (not need) on the table and only bring half of it.