China tops growth for outdoor
16/08/2007
With domestic sales growing at between 30% and 40% annually, China is the outdoor industry's fastest-growing market, according to the organisers of Asia Outdoor.
China manufactures more than 60% of branded outdoor products on the market, most of which go for export. But with a huge population, growing wealth and 5,000 mountains over 6,000 metres high, the appeal of the great outdoors is making an impression on China now.
In the first half of this decade, the number of retail outlets specialising in clothing, footwear and equipment in this space grew from around 700 in 2001 to 2,125 last year.
Domestic sales were €10 million six years ago but had reached €120 million in 2006. Observers predict this figure could reach €450 million by 2010.
