This year, the market size of the outdoor sports sector in China is expected to top 3 trillion yuan ($413 billion), according to a report on the development of the country's outdoor sports sector released by the General Administration of Sport of China late last year.

　　Taking a short trip to suburban areas and going for outdoor activities have become a popular weekend lifestyle for young people, driving growing demand for outdoor sports gear.

　　In the first week after the Spring Festival holiday this year, the online search volume of cycling equipment such as bicycles and helmets surged 284 percent over the previous week, and the search volume of fishing equipment jumped 93 percent week-on-week, according to Xianyu, Alibaba Group's online trading platform for secondhand goods.

　　Compared with purchasing new products at their original prices, young people have been interested in buying secondhand outdoor equipment or renting goods to save money and achieve circular consumption. Besides outdoor sports gear, drones, Polaroid, Fuji cameras, and other types of camera equipment for spring outings have also seen growth in sales, Xianyu said.

　　Besides growing demand from the public, the outdoor sports sector has also gained support from favorable government policies.

　　Earlier this month, a new guideline said that China aims to develop its outdoor sports sector and cultivate new economic growth points by building about 100 high-quality outdoor sporting venues and destinations by 2030, according to the National Development and Reform Commission and the General Administration of Sport of China.

　　People ride bicycles in Wuhu, Anhui province, in February.XIAO BENXIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY