In recent years, the sports and outdoor market has witnessed rapid development, and the industry ecosystem has become increasingly prosperous. The “2025 Sports and Outdoor Market Trend Insights Report” comprehensively analyzes the current situation and future trends of this market, providing extremely valuable information for practitioners and those who are concerned about it.
The data in this report mainly comes from “Alchemy Furnace” big data, public information, New Rank, etc., and the analysis covers various aspects such as the market overview and trend tracks, deeply exploring the potential opportunities in the market.
I. The market is developing favorably with continuous expansion in scale
Driven by both policies and the enhanced sports awareness of the public, the scale of the sports and outdoor market has been constantly expanding. Multiple departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the General Administration of Sport, have issued policies such as the “14th Five-Year Plan for Sports Development” and the “Outdoor Sports Industry Development Plan (2022-2025)”, providing support for the development of the industry.
These plans propose goals such as reaching a per capita sports venue area of 2.6 square meters and a total sports industry scale of 5 trillion yuan by 2025, vigorously promoting the construction of outdoor sports infrastructure and the development of the industry. Judging from the sales data on the Taobao platform, the overall sports and outdoor industry shows an upward trend.
Sub-sectors such as outdoor/mountaineering/camping, fitness/fan supplies, bicycles/cycling equipment, and travel supplies have shown outstanding sales performance. Among them, the sales of outdoor/mountaineering/camping supplies have continued to grow due to consumers’ yearning for nature and the rise of activities such as camping.
Fitness/fan supplies have a stable market demand driven by the national fitness craze and sports events.
The price bands of different sub-categories have their own characteristics. In fan supplies, the prices of high-end professional products continue to rise, reflecting fans’ pursuit of high-quality and high-performance equipment.
The prices of outdoor travel supplies are more diversified, with both affordable products to meet the needs of the general public and high-quality and high-tech high-priced products for high-end consumers to adapt to different consumption levels.
The customer groups in the sports and outdoor market are diverse, with a relatively balanced gender distribution. Men account for a slightly higher proportion in the purchase of supplies related to more competitive projects such as football and basketball, while women have a higher participation rate in sports such as yoga and aerobics, driving the consumption of related sports apparel and equipment.
In terms of age distribution, people aged 18-45 are the main consumers. Among them, young people aged 18-30 pursue fashion and trends and are more inclined to buy innovative and personalized sports products.
People aged 31-45 pay more attention to product quality and functionality. In terms of education, people with higher education levels have a higher participation rate in sports and outdoor activities. They pay more attention to the health value and social attributes of sports and are willing to pay for high-quality sports products and services.
II. The popularity of ice and snow sports is soaring, and the industry is booming
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics became an important turning point in the development of ice and snow sports in China. Driven by a series of policies, skiing has quickly regained its popularity.
The State Council has proposed that by 2025, the total scale of China’s ice and snow industry will reach 1000 billion yuan.
The introduction of a series of plans and opinions, such as the “Ice and Snow Sports Development Plan (2016-2025)” and the “Several Opinions on Stimulating the Vitality of the Ice and Snow Economy through the High-quality Development of Ice and Snow Sports”, have clarified the development goals and key tasks, and promoted the integration of ice and snow sports and the ice and snow economy into relevant national plans, greatly stimulating the public’s enthusiasm for ice and snow sports.
From the perspective of the skier customer profile, the age is mainly concentrated between 18 and 40 years old. This group of people pursues fresh and exciting experiences and has a high acceptance of ice and snow sports. In terms of education, people with higher education levels account for a relatively large proportion.
They are more likely to accept new sports concepts and have a certain consumption ability.
In terms of ski equipment expenses, the price range of 1,000-3,000 yuan accounts for the highest proportion, reflecting that most consumers will also consider cost-effectiveness while ensuring the quality of the equipment.
However, there is also a certain proportion of high-consuming people spending more than 5,000 yuan, indicating that there is also room for development in the high-end ski equipment market. The proportion of people who have participated in ice and snow tourism 1-2 times is as high as 57%, which shows that the ice and snow tourism market has great potential and there are many first-time experiencers.
How to convert this group of people into long-term participants is the key to the development of the industry.
The red and blue ocean distribution of the applicable population of skiing categories shows that the parent-child experience market is developing rapidly, and family customer groups have become a new growth point. Many ski resorts have launched services such as parent-child package tickets and children’s ski training courses to meet the needs of families. Currently, ski equipment shows the development trends of fashion, technology, and personalization.
In terms of the combination of fashion and functionality, first-line fashion brands have successively launched ski series products, integrating fashion elements into the design of ski suits, helmets, and other equipment, allowing skiers to show their personal styles while enjoying sports.
To improve safety and user experience, many helmets and goggles adopt professional designs, using high-performance protective materials and ergonomic designs.
Some ski equipment also has built-in sensors that can monitor sports data in real time, such as speed and jump height, and can be linked with mobile applications to facilitate users to record and analyze their sports situations.
With the increasing diversification of consumer demands, customized services are gradually emerging. Ski boards can be adjusted in shape according to personal height, weight, and skiing style, and helmets, goggles, etc. can also be customized in terms of color and pattern. Many brands have enhanced their brand influence and consumer participation by holding characteristic activities and opening pop-up stores.
Activities such as The North Face’s “Mountain Festival” and Xiaohongshu’s “Lucky Bell” have attracted a large number of skiing enthusiasts and become popular check-in points at ski resorts. Dior’s pop-up store in Songhua Lake integrates fashion and skiing culture, enhancing the fashion sense and attractiveness of skiing.
Juneyao Airlines has launched a “Let’s Ski Together” themed flight, creating a skiing atmosphere for passengers during the journey and further promoting the ice and snow culture.
III. Light outdoor sports are favored, and the market potential is huge
Light outdoor sports are widely loved by consumers due to their low thresholds and high flexibility. Among many light outdoor sports, projects such as camping, cycling, and fishing are particularly popular.
Camping allows people to get close to nature and relax. With the spread of camping culture, new forms such as exquisite camping have emerged, driving the growth of consumption of related equipment such as tents, sleeping bags, and outdoor tables and chairs.
Cycling has both fitness and commuting functions, and the demands for urban commuting cycling and outdoor leisure cycling are both increasing. Driven by social media, the popularity of fishing continues to rise.
Topics such as “Lure Fishing in the Wild” and “Small Item Fishing” have high interaction volumes, attracting more and more people to participate. The customer groups of light outdoor sports are mainly young people, with a relatively large proportion of people aged 18-30.
They pursue a free and personalized lifestyle, and light outdoor sports just meet these needs. In terms of gender distribution, it is relatively balanced, and the participation rate of female consumers in projects such as camping and cycling is gradually increasing, giving birth to sports equipment and products designed specifically for women.
In terms of urban hierarchy distribution, consumers in first-tier and new first-tier cities account for a relatively high proportion. The fast pace of life in these cities makes people eager to relieve stress and get close to nature through light outdoor sports in their leisure time.
At the same time, the perfect urban infrastructure provides convenient conditions for light outdoor sports. Taking fishing as an example, the interaction volume and month-on-month growth of fishing-related topics on Xiaohongshu are obvious, indicating the popularity of fishing on social media.
Among fishing equipment categories, products such as fishing clothes and fish finders have a relatively low market share but great growth potential. With technological progress and the upgrading of consumer demands, intelligent and multi-functional fishing equipment will have greater development space. Cycling has great development potential in cities and shows the development trends of being outdoor-oriented, daily-oriented, urbanized, and professionalized.
From the changes in social media hot topics, it can be seen that cycling is no longer limited to the professional sports field but is gradually integrated into daily life. In cities, the construction of cycling lanes is constantly improving, and the popularity of shared bicycles has cultivated people’s cycling habits. At the same time, the high-end bicycle and spare parts market is also constantly developing to meet the needs of professional cycling enthusiasts.
Judging from the sales trends of the bicycle/spare parts industry on the Taobao platform and the volume and growth rate of cycling sub-scenes, the demands for scenes such as urban commuting and outdoor cycling are growing rapidly.
IV. National fitness has become a craze, and consumer demands are upgrading
The concept of national fitness has taken root in people’s hearts, and the penetration rate of the fitness population in China is constantly increasing. There are a wide variety of fitness methods. In addition to traditional running and fitness equipment training, sports such as yoga, Pilates, and ball games are also becoming more and more popular.
In the sports goods industry, fitness/yoga/fan supplies occupy an important position, and the development trends of various sub-categories are good.
With the improvement of people’s health awareness and the acceleration of the pace of life, the multi-functionality of sports equipment and home fitness have become new trends. The popularity of the “three-layer dressing method” reflects people’s refined requirements for the functionality of sports equipment. The base layer focuses on breathability and sweat-wicking, the thermal layer maintains body temperature, and the protective layer resists the external environment.
Sports equipment should not only meet the functional needs during exercise but also be suitable for daily commuting. For example, some sports jackets are designed fashionably and can be worn directly when going out after exercise.
Due to economic and convenience considerations, more and more people choose home fitness, driving the sales growth of small fitness equipment such as yoga mats, dumbbells, and resistance bands. Consumers have more diversified functional requirements for running clothes and running shoes.
In addition to the basic comfort and breathability, they also pay attention to features such as shock absorption, support, and lightness. In different running scenarios, the requirements for the functions of shoes also vary.
For long-distance running of more than 10 km at a time, more attention is paid to the shock absorption and stability of the shoes to reduce the impact on the knees. For daily jogging, more emphasis is placed on comfort and flexibility.
The distribution of consumer voices in the running clothes industry shows that consumers pay more attention to product quality, brand, and functionality.
Ball games still maintain their popularity in national fitness.
In 2024, the year-on-year growth rate of sales of ball games was obvious, and sports such as badminton, table tennis, and basketball are deeply loved by the public. Driven by social media, concepts such as “badminton social” and “basketball social” have emerged.
Sports are not only a way to exercise the body but also a platform for social interaction. Taking the Xiaohongshu platform as an example, the popularity of badminton-related topics has soared, driving the sales growth of badminton equipment and also promoting the development of offline badminton activities.
V. New upscale sports are emerging, and the market is gradually expanding
New upscale sports such as golf, fencing, equestrianism, and archery have shown a steady development trend in the market in recent years. These sports have unique charms. The elegance of golf, the competitiveness of fencing, the nobility of equestrianism, and the concentration of archery have attracted a group of consumers who pursue a high-quality life and unique experiences.
Participating in new upscale sports can not only exercise the body but also improve personal cultivation and social status, so they have received increasing attention.
The customer groups of new upscale sports are mainly concentrated between 26 and 40 years old. This group of people has a certain economic strength and social status and has a high pursuit of the quality of life. In terms of gender distribution, men have a higher participation rate in projects such as golf and equestrianism, while women show a strong interest in fencing and archery.
In terms of urban hierarchy distribution, it is mainly concentrated in first-tier and new first-tier cities. These cities are economically developed and have the venues, facilities, and consumption environment for carrying out new upscale sports. Taking equestrianism as an example, in February 2025, the year-on-year growth rate of the sales volume of equestrian sports knight equipment was significant, and the demand for equipment such as riding pants and knight shin guards increased obviously.
The popular keywords of the equestrian sports commodity population reflect consumers’ pursuit of equipment quality and fashion sense, as well as their attention to the social attributes of equestrian sports.
Equestrian clubs are emerging in various places, providing professional training, horse rental, and other services, promoting the popularization of equestrian sports. The price band distribution of golf apparel shows that mid-to-high-end products occupy a certain market share, and consumers pay attention to brands and quality.
The red and blue ocean distribution of the sales volume in the golf industry shows that sub-sectors such as practice accessories and golf club covers have great market development potential. Brands such as Adidas have launched fashionable and novel golf shoes, which meet consumers’ dual needs for fashion and functionality and have strong competitiveness in the market.
Golf social networking has emerged on platforms such as Xiaohongshu. The occupational distribution of the golf population is wide, including professionals, corporate legal persons, etc., and sports have become an important way for social and business communication.
VI. Future prospects of the sports and outdoor market
The continuous support of policies will provide a solid development foundation for the sports and outdoor market, promote infrastructure construction, industrial integration and development, and create more market opportunities.
With the continuous improvement of consumers’ health awareness and environmental protection awareness, their requirements for the quality, functionality, and environmental protection performance of sports products will also become higher and higher.
This will prompt enterprises to increase their R&D investment and launch more high-quality and environmentally friendly products.
At the same time, intelligence and personalized customization will become important directions for product innovation to meet the diversified needs of consumers. The development of social media and e-commerce platforms will further promote the online-offline integration of the sports and outdoor market.
Brands will enhance their interaction with consumers through content marketing, live streaming with goods, etc., and improve brand influence and product sales.
Offline experience stores and sports activities will become important supplements to online sales, providing consumers with more intuitive product experiences and social spaces. The future development prospects of the sports and outdoor market are broad, and each sub-track contains huge opportunities. Enterprises need to keep up with market trends, continuously innovate, and meet the increasingly diversified needs of consumers to gain an advantage in the fierce market competition.
