Active: Policy, finance seen as key to tourism

Analysts said policy support, while certainly helping develop the sector, alone won’t be enough.

Financial resources need to be raised from capital markets. Investments need to be made on brand building and development of intellectual properties for sports activities, events and facilities, they said.

“I think policymakers are supporting the development of the sports sector and sports tourism in the same manner as they had supported information technology three decades ago. In 1986, IT accounted for 0.75 percent of China’s GDP, while in 2006 it reached 5.25 percent,” saidWei Jinglei, general manager of Sina Sports, a division of one of China’s largest web portals, Sina.

The changing scene would spawn more opportunities for activities, events and games in the China market to become world-class so as to be introduced in international markets, saidWei.

In 2016, the sports industry contributedsome0.6 percent to China’s economic growth, compared to 2 percent in developed countries, demonstrating that there is still much room for the industry to grow, according to a report by People’s Daily.

Officials at enterprises that have invested heavily in outdoor activities and sports events said they see sports and sports tourism not as niches catering to a small group of people but as massmarket products.

In 2016, Discovery Adventures Park in Moganshan opened to families that wish to experience an array of multiple-level outdoor survival skills and training programs, including China’s biggest rock climbing wall, zip-lines, ATV tours, moun-

... people would like to try their best and push ... themselves.” owner of Kayak Bike Run in Shanghai

Sun Habing, tain bike courses, hiking routes, obstacle challenges and more.

APAX Group, developer of the 400 million yuan project, plans to open another 80 similar parks in the next 10 years in China and other locations in Asia, according to TerenceChu, its managing director.

Sun Haibing, owner of Kayak Bike Run, an outdoor activities club in suburban Beijing, said that consumers’ mindset about outdoor activities and sports tourism has changed significantly, which will likely lead to rapid development of the sector.

“Inthe past, people used to believe kayaking on a river, or biking on a mountainous road, must be quite ‘dangerous’ and requires professional skills through long-time training, suitable only for professional athletes. But now, even primary school children are coming to the park to pick up these skills. As long as safety is ensured by professional coaches and creation of an ecosystem of sports tourism complete in all respects, people would like to try their best and push self-imposed boundaries for themselves. The market is booming,” said Sun.

Sports tourism, eco-tourism and outdoor activities help a region to optimize its resources and drive economic growth, industry observers said.