Over 400m Chinese embrace outdoor sports, driving rural growth

China has seen over 400 million people take part in outdoor sports, underscoring the immense potential of the outdoor industry.  

Inspired by people's desire to be closer to nature, some Chinese provinces are integrating their cultural, sports and tourism resources.

This initiative is in line with a notice issued in April by several government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the General Administration of Sport, calling on local governments to develop high-quality outdoor sports destinations and cultivate new economic growth points.

A prime example of this is Pengzhou in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Leveraging its unique geographical advantages, Pengzhou is developing an all-terrain outdoor sports hub set amid lush mountains and clear waters. It has already established a mature sports matrix encompassing activities like paragliding and zip-lining. It is also accelerating the construction of newly emerging sports activities, such as rafting, rock climbing, and rappelling.

Huang Xiaolong, a villager from Baoshan Village in Pengzhou, shared his view. "In the past, our outdoor activities were quite traditional, mainly hiking. Now, with the development of outdoor sports, there are many more projects available. As a result, many young villagers are returning home to work."

Another example is Jiuquan in northwest China's Gansu Province, which is attracting an increasing number of outdoor sports enthusiasts with its distinctive desert scenery, following the launch of a series of epic endurance events in the stunning Gobi Desert about two decades ago.

"We are not just organizing an event; we hope to leave something meaningful for this land," Qu Xiangdong, founder of the Gobi Challenge event, told the Gansu provincial government news portal "gscn.com.cn."

The series of Gobi Challenge events has even inspired a new film project centered on contemporary young entrepreneurs who undergo running trainings and then participate in the Gobi Challenge races to strengthen their bodies and minds in face of adversities, according to a China Youth Daily report.

Involving nearly 100,000 Gobi challenge participants from various walks of life, the film also has nearly 200 of them serving as honorary producers.

China boasts abundant outdoor sports resources. By 2030, China plans to build around 100 outdoor sports destinations that combine ecological value, sports functionality, and economic benefits.