2019 Asia-Pacific Sports Industry Summit | In-depth yet accessible discussions and exchanges as industry elites explore new models for the development of the outdoor sector...

On June 20, the Asia-Pacific Outdoor Exhibition grandly opened at the Nanjing International Expo Center. At 13:30 that afternoon, the 2019 Asia-Pacific Sports Industry Summit was officially held. The summit attracted numerous representatives from outdoor brands, distributors, retailers, and professional audiences to gather together, jointly grasp industry trends, and explore new directions in the sports industry.

The topics on the first day of the summit mainly focused onthe sports industryandthe snow and ice sports industrydevelopment trends. Regarding the sports industry, Jin Tong, a researcher at the Jiangsu Sports Industry Research Institute, Wang Zongping, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Continuing Education at Nanjing University of Science and Technology,Wang ZongpingProfessor, Li Weigang, founder of the Rico Lee brand,Li Weigangeach delivered insightful keynote speeches. Subsequently, a salon dialogue on “Corporate Environmental and Social Responsibility” was held among PrimaLoft® Vice PresidentJochen Lagemann, TESTEX (Shanghai) Textile Testing Co., Ltd. Marketing Deputy ManagerZong Lihua, Bluesign Asia-Pacific Customer Relationship DirectorZhong Wanzhen, and Ren Du Ocean Public Welfare Development Center Deputy DirectorZhuang Wenqi.

In the area of snow and ice sports, Zhao Yinggang, Deputy Director of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Sustainability Advisory Committee,Zhao Yinggangshared China’s journey in bidding for the Winter Olympics and analyzed the opportunities and challenges brought by the 2022 Winter Olympics. Subsequently, Zhang Di, CEO of Qiaobo Ice World by TUSPark,Zhang Dishared case studies on “Bringing Snow and Ice Sports to Schools” and successful practices of developing snow and ice sports in southern regions. The exhibition also invited Wu Bin, author of the China Ski Industry White Paper and President of Cabrinha Ski,Wu Bin, Guo Zixing, General Manager of Ice and Snow Sports at Wuhan Aoshan Group,Guo Zixing, Lu Chengjie, Greater China Representative of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourism Board of France,Lu Chengjie, and the Greater China Director of Business Finland...Wu Zhaohongattended the event to participate in the Ice and Snow Sports Salon. Finally, Mr. Li Dazhi,co-founder of Boomski,delivered a keynote speech on “How Ice and Snow Sports Can Be Integrated with Tourism.”

Jin Tong: “The rise of distinctive sports towns marks a transformation in the sports industry model.”

Sports becoming an industry is not a new phenomenon. With the development of the times, the scope of what constitutes sports has become increasingly broad, and many emerging sports have gradually captured the interest of younger generations. In addition to traditional distinctive sports towns, entirely new models such as “esports industry towns,” which use emerging sports as a platform and feature novel activities, also deserve further attention and exploration within the industry.

Wang Zongping: “A university, a sports club, and a sport represent the ultimate form of a distinctive sports town.”

Professor Wang Zongping, Party Committee Secretary of the School of Continuing Education at Nanjing University of Science and Technology, believes that a qualified and sustainable sports town not only needs to be driven by distinctive outdoor or sports activities, but also requires abundant supporting resources. According to Professor Wang, a distinctive sports town should include a university, a professional sports club, and a widely popular sport.

Professor Wang also introduced the concept of “Kinetic Quotient” (动商) to the Asia-Pacific Outdoor Exhibition. From multiple intelligences to triarchic intelligences, from IQ to EQ, the evaluation of human capabilities has continuously expanded to include new dimensions — and “Kinetic Quotient” is no exception. “Kinetic Quotient” refers to one’s ability to engage in physical movement and accomplish tasks. Professor Wang believes that in the future, the importance of Kinetic Quotient could account for over 50% of all human capabilities and will be closely linked to people’s most daily and fundamental aspects of life.

Li Weigang: “Discovering the ‘new blue ocean’ of trend-functional gear; the pace of transformation in the outdoor industry is accelerating.”

Li Weigang, founder of the Rico Lee brand, admitted that since Paris Fashion Week in 2014, he has been steering his designs toward the trend-functional direction. This led to the creation of the Rico Lee brand. To assess market needs, Rico Lee developed its own positioning scale. He found that traditional high-end outdoor brands often cluster in the “high price, high functionality, low fashionability” zone, while some luxury brands remain in the “high price, high fashion” range. In other words, this represents a new blue ocean in the outdoor industry.

Rico Lee believes that as the world becomes more diverse and individualistic, this new blue ocean is inclusive and non-exclusive. This means that trend-functional outdoor apparel will more precisely and meaningfully target its intended audience. At the same time, every outdoor enthusiast can find their own trend-functional design, which will undoubtedly further drive the development of the outdoor industry.

Jochen Lagemann: “PrimaLoft® Bio series is like ‘adding sugar to white bread,’ promoting microbial degradation.”

At the summit, Jochen Lagemann introduced his company’s flagship technology — the PrimaLoft® Bio fabric, an environmentally friendly cotton material specially designed to degrade more quickly in outdoor environments. Jochen Lagemann gave a vivid example: traditional cotton fabrics and nylon are among the least favored “foods” for microbes — to them, these materials are like bland white bread. The magic of PrimaLoft® Bio lies in the addition of unique components, which he likened to “sugar” or “chocolate.” As a result, fabrics that would otherwise take 200–300 years to fully decompose can break down much more quickly, thereby contributing to environmental protection.

Zong Lihua: “OEKO-TEX®: Sustainable certification for outdoor products.”

Since 1993, TESTEX and 18 other OEKO-TEX® member organizations have systematically provided independent certification and services to textile industry enterprises in over 60 countries worldwide, aiming to achieve greater sustainability and product responsibility across the global textile value chain. OEKO-TEX® Sustainable Textile Production (STeP) is an independent certification system that provides brands, trading companies, and manufacturers in the textile supply chain with transparent and reliable information about sustainable production conditions. The modular structure of STeP certification allows for comprehensive analysis and assessment of all relevant areas of a company — such as chemical management, environmental performance, environmental management, social responsibility, quality management, occupational health, and safety — to evaluate whether a business employs environmentally friendly technologies and products, effectively manages resources, and adheres to best practices in health, safety, and social compatibility.

Zhong Wanzhen: “The 3P principle — Planet (Earth), People (humans), and Profit (earnings) — directly impacts the environmental benefits and sustainability capacity of outdoor enterprises.”

When discussing the relationship between the sustainable development of outdoor brands andthe protection of nature, Zhong Wanzhen emphasized the 3P principle — focusing on the planet (Planet), people (People), and profit (Profit). Zhong Wanzhen believes that businesses should not pursue environmental protection at the expense of profits, but rather aim for profitability to maintain stable and healthy growth. Only then can they allocate resources to improve production technologies, invest in R&D, and support environmental governance, thus restoring and protecting the environment we live in.

Zhuang Wenqi: “The stark contrast between spotless boats and a sea littered with trash is disheartening.”

“During a trip to the Zhoushan Archipelago, I took a fishing boat out to sea. The boatman brought some food, and after eating, he simply threw the trash into the ocean. I was shocked and asked him, ‘Why don’t you throw it in a trash bin?’ He replied, ‘We all do it here.’ Indeed, the boat itself was spotless and immaculate, yet there wasn’t a single trash bin on board.” This stark contrast strengthened Zhuang Wenqi’s resolve to protect the oceans. Data shows that the marine environment is gradually deteriorating, and recent studies indicate that plastic particles from discarded waste re-enter the human body through the food chain. The Ren Du Ocean Public Welfare Development Center is dedicated to leading ocean clean-up efforts and protecting our vital marine environment through various public welfare initiatives and ocean conservation programs in schools, using professional techniques and a committed approach.

Zhao Yinggang: “Under the context of the Olympic centennial cycle, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics presents a ‘three years before, four years after’ development opportunity.”

Mr. Zhao Yinggang, Director of the Sustainability Committee of the 2022 Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, believes that the ice and snow sports and even the broader winter sports industry currently enjoy a promising development opportunity. Zhao Yinggang stated that hosting the Olympics brings a “three years before, four years after” development window — that is, three years of rapid expansion and growth fueled by national policy incentives before the Games, and four years of sustainable development afterward. As long as companies in the industry can achieve sustainable growth, China’s winter sports industry will enjoy long-term development. Additionally, Zhao Yinggang mentioned that the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics coincide with both the Olympic centennial cycle and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, meaning the attention given to the Winter Olympics will be unprecedented, and the development opportunities for businesses will be extremely rare.

Zhang Di: “Stop talking about ‘bringing skiing to the south’ — indoor ice and snow lets you ski in southern regions too!”

Ms. Zhang Di, CEO of Qidi Qiaobo Ice and Snow World, stated that Qidi Qiaobo Ice and Snow World has officially begun operations in southern regions. In addition to the indoor ski resorts already open in Zhejiang, plans to open facilities in first-tier and emerging first-tier cities in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region, such as Nanjing and Shanghai, are already underway. Zhang Di said that customer numbers have grown from an initial annual average of 100,000 to around 300,000 today. Qidi Qiaobo Ice and Snow World has preliminarily tapped into the southern indoor skiing market and can help promote and popularize ice and snow sports in the region.

Wu Bin: “While the ice and snow industry ‘charges forward,’ it must face the challenges encountered during development.”

Wu Bin, the host of this ice and snow sports salon, pointed out that while the ice and snow industry enjoys policy incentives and financial support and is “charging forward,” it also needs to confront its own issues. First, the domestic ice and snow industry started relatively late and lacks core technology, making it somewhat vulnerable when competing with top-tier equipment brands from Europe and America. Moreover, once the Olympic cycle ends, ice and snow sports enterprises will enter a phase of internal competition, where only those with core technologies or large-scale operations will achieve higher survival rates. Therefore, Wu Bin advised against blindly entering the ice and snow sports sector and recommended more prudent evaluation when making investments or business plans.

Guo Zixing: “In the south, people even show more enthusiasm for ice and snow, stemming from economic foundations, the scarcity of snow, and the pursuit of a high-quality lifestyle.”

Compared to northerners, southerners indeed have a stronger affinity for snow. Data shows that southerners are more inclined to participate in ice and snow sports. Guo Zixing attributes this to the economic prosperity of eastern coastal regions and the rarity of snow. Data also shows that a newly opened indoor ski resort recorded over a million yuan in revenue on its first day alone. Furthermore, Ms. Zhang Di, CEO of Qidi Qiaobo Ice and Snow World, mentioned that after the opening of the indoor ski resort in Shaoxing, groups of skiing enthusiasts from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai visit weekly, with some ski clubs even chartering buses to Shaoxing. It’s clear that, given the right conditions, people in the Jiangnan region can find excellent skiing spots without long flights or complicated visa applications — all within a short road-trip distance.

Lu Chengjie & Wu Zhaohong: “Leveraging winter sports resources, seizing the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics opportunity, and achieving cross-border cooperation.”

The 2019 Asia-Pacific Sports Industry Summit invited Ms. Lu Chengjie, Greater China Representative of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Tourism Board of France, and Mr. Wu Zhaohong, Director-General of the Finland Tourism Board for Greater China, to attend the exhibition. Ms. Lu Chengjie mentioned: "France is the only country that has hosted the Winter Olympics three times. It has extensive experience in operating, managing, and organizing winter sports events. The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region will also work closely with the Hebei Provincial Government, including the management and sustainable operation of Olympic venues."

Li Dazhi: "We have created a profile of ski tourism users. Winter sports can encompass more content that suits the characteristics of users."

At the summit, Mr. Li Dazhi, Co-founder of BOOMSKI, stated that among the user groups participating in ski tourism, 30% are professional skiing enthusiasts who ski five or more times per season, with at least three of those trips taking place abroad. Compared to domestic ski resorts, those in Europe and the United States not only offer higher-quality snow conditions but also provide a wider range of snow sports and supporting facilities such as snow bikes, hot springs, and spas. A variety of value-added services can be bundled into a 'travel package' to enhance user loyalty.

Compared to the first day’s focused industry discussions, the Asia-Pacific Sports event on June 21 leaned more toward consumer- and market-oriented topics such as product design, marketing, and community relations.

The Asia-Pacific Sports Industry Summit on June 21 was hosted by Li Jun, founder of the well-known outdoor brand Happy Fox. Throughout the salon dialogue, Li Jun delivered incisive and witty remarks, successfully chairing the event while also sharing his unique and insightful perspective on the outdoor lifestyle with attendees.

Founder and President of Blue LimitZhang ShaojiongFirst explored the origins and development of extreme sports in China, followed by KAILAS brand founderZhong Chengzhan, General Manager of Beijing Skyleader Outdoor Products Co., Ltd.Zeng Hua, Marketing Director of Shenzhen Fire Fox Outdoor ProductsYu Zhenqiwho jointly discussed the challenges and opportunities in China’s outdoor market. Subsequently, representatives from world-renowned material suppliers Cotton Incorporated, PrimaLoft®, Vibram, and Polygiene discussed how high-quality materials drive the growth of outdoor brands. Later, Gao Feng, CEO of the Golf Channel at China Weather Network,Gao Fengdelivered a keynote speech titled “How Accurate Weather Forecasting Promotes Outdoor Sports.” Wang Xuanlv, Brand Promotion Director of Hangzhou Huanjiang Sports Technology Co., Ltd.,Wang Xuanlv, and Huang Sichen, founder of Stick Lang Sports,Huang Sichenalso discussed the intrinsic relationship between event sponsorship and brand promotion from their respective perspectives. Finally, Liang Feng, founder of Joyrun,Liang Fenggave a speech on the theme of “Empowering and Upgrading Running Groups.”

Zhang Shaojiong: "'Non-core audiences' are the next growth point for extreme sports."

Zhang Shaojiong, Founder and President of Blue Limit, mentioned that data shows there are approximately 30,000 people in China who truly love extreme sports and engage in them at least once a week. This base is far from sufficient to meet the survival needs of extreme sports businesses. Fortunately, as industry boundaries blur, the rapid development of some 'national trend' or general trend brands, as well as the influence that extreme sports enthusiasts have on their relatives and friends, means that 'non-core audiences' are expected to become the next growth point for the extreme sports industry. Zhang Shaojiong estimates that this emerging market could reach a scale of 100 billion yuan.

Zhong Chengzhan: "Compared to competition within the industry, I am actually more worried about competition between the outdoor industry and the mobile phone industry."

Zhong Chengzhan, founder of KAILAS, admitted that a multi-product line covering various sports has brought huge R&D costs for KAILAS, but some of the developed products have not been truly commercialized, resulting in long return cycles for certain KAILAS products and a low number of profitable SKUs. However, these significant R&D investments have enabled KAILAS to offer a rich product line and a comprehensive range of niche products in mountaineering and climbing, earning it an excellent reputation among hiking and climbing enthusiasts. As a result, KAILAS has become a leading brand in mountaineering equipment in China. In 2019, with the rise of trail running, KAILAS quickly captured the market with its trail running gear, receiving positive feedback and strong returns.

Regarding the future of China’s outdoor industry, Zhong Chengzhan believes there is still significant room for overall sales growth in the outdoor sector, but at the same time, market consolidation has placed considerable pressure on many sub-brands. Additionally, the current development of China’s outdoor industry is constrained by various international factors, so it is temporarily unable to return to the 'golden development period' of the outdoor industry. Today, the industry is working to make outdoor activities 'more everyday, more fashionable, and closer to life' in order to 'win back' young consumers from mobile phones. Zhong Chengzhan suggests that companies aiming for substantial growth in the outdoor industry must become 'core players' within the field.

Zeng Hua: "Cultivate good customer relationships, deeply understand customer usage scenarios, and create personalized, high-quality products."

Zeng Hua, General Manager of Beijing Skyleader Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., mentioned: "When I truly engaged with the customer base, I realized that what we originally considered our 'core competitiveness' was actually just a common feature in the eyes of customers. For this reason, Zeng Hua connected closely with customers, participated in running and hiking group activities, delved into how customers use their gear, created essential items for outdoor activities, and offered more customized details. This customer-focused approach improved satisfaction and gave Skyleader a strong reputation and viability in the realm of outdoor clothing customization."

Yu Zhenqi: "Compared to Hong Kong and Japan, the outdoor sports market in mainland China is still in its early stages."

As a retail industry professional, Yu Zhenqi, Marketing Director of Shenzhen Fire Fox Outdoor Products, shared his views on the development of China's outdoor market. He mentioned that at the retail end, consumers in Japan and Hong Kong, China, are often able to purchase outdoor gear independently, whereas in mainland China, they require guidance and introduction from sales staff. Therefore, it is essential to establish a "scenario display" model for outdoor enthusiasts. This not only increases attention and sales by encouraging them to notice outdoor gear combinations while purchasing equipment, but also guides users toward self-service shopping, thereby enhancing the outdoor literacy of enthusiasts.

Zhang Ligang: “The ‘surprising popularity’ of UNDER ARMOUR precisely reveals the purchasing motivation behind sportswear.”

Over a decade ago, UNDER ARMOUR put forward the bold slogan “COTTON IS THE ENEMY,” claiming to replace cotton fibers with synthetic fibers. In 2011, the brand reintroduced over 300 cotton products. Zhang Ligang emphasized: “The actions of sports enthusiasts ‘voting with their feet’ have confirmed the purchasing motivation for sportswear—fit, comfort, and breathability. These traditional advantages of cotton materials are indispensable in sportswear.”

Jin Lukai: “In the near future, PrimaLoft® can achieve over 30% sales growth in mainland China.”

Jin Lukai, Sales and Marketing Director for PrimaLoft® in the Asia-Pacific region, stated that although PrimaLoft®'s promotion in China is still in its early stages, internationally, the brand has already partnered with as many as 1,000 brands, 40-50% of which are lifestyle brands represented by Armani. Therefore, PrimaLoft® believes its potential in the Chinese market is enormous. In terms of brand promotion, PrimaLoft® relies more on adapting technologies that have been successfully implemented in Europe and America to the Chinese market, working with Chinese brands to conduct market research and analysis, jointly driving the Chinese market, and ultimately reaching end consumers. PrimaLoft® looks forward to achieving over 30% sales growth in mainland China in the near future.

Hu Liang: “The Chinese market currently accounts for only 5% of Vibram’s global market, and we look forward to further development in China.”

Hu Liang, Commercial Director of the Marketing and Sales Department at Vibram, stated that Vibram, with a history of over 80 years, has achieved an annual revenue of approximately $3 billion since entering the Chinese market in 2009. Vibram focuses heavily on R&D and has already engaged in deep cooperation with Chinese outdoor brands such as Kailas and Toread, as well as sports brands like Li-Ning and Xtep. Vibram believes that the Chinese market is the future of the world market, and it will strengthen cooperation with Chinese brands to explore market potential.

Du Mingrui: “China’s outdoor industry will face challenges from more external competitors.”

Du Mingrui, Representative of Polygiene in China, stated that the Chinese outdoor products market is currently facing impacts from numerous external competitors. Taking neck pillows as an example, Du said: “Currently, the best neck pillow brand in China is not any domestic outdoor enterprise, but the Chinese tech brand Xiaomi. Xiaomi’s neck pillows have already secured millions of orders from Polygiene, a volume that means Xiaomi will likely become the best-selling neck pillow brand in the country.” Faced with external challenges, Du suggested that the Chinese outdoor industry, with its huge scale and potential, should develop more growth points.

Gao Feng: “Use accurate weather forecasts to ensure the effective conduct of outdoor activities, and leverage advanced technology to build a weather-outdoor industry chain.”

Gao Feng, CEO of the Golf Channel of China Weather Network, mentioned that through resource integration and multi-terminal deployment, the China Weather Network can now provide street-level precision meteorological services to users. As the official weather partner of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the China Weather Network will fully ensure meteorological services for Olympic venues. Additionally, relying on numerous resources such as radars, satellites, and observation stations, the network provides ski resort forecasts, exclusive global snow quality analysis, golf weather forecasts, minute-level precipitation forecasts, and serves numerous scenarios including marathons, fishing, golf, and skiing.

Wang Xuanlu: “Sponsors and event organizers share a ‘symbiotic relationship like fish and water.’”

Wang Xuanlu, Brand Promotion Director of Hangzhou Hanjiang Sports Technology Co., Ltd., stated that an excellent event sponsorship is a prime opportunity for direct dialogue with users, enhancing brand awareness and favorability, and effectively stimulating consumption. However, during business negotiations, careful evaluation should be conducted to ensure the brand’s planning, organizational, and implementation needs are met, accurately positioning product usage scenarios to maximize promotional benefits.

Huang Sichen: “Every competition is an independent IP, and matching the right products is key.”

Huang Sichen, Founder of SkiLan Sports, mentioned that every competition is an independent IP with a full industry chain from design to execution. In today’s era of rapid information development, the influence of image resources is gradually declining, while that of short video content is rising inversely, making brands place greater emphasis on online rights in sponsorships. Additionally, events should offer tailored products based on brand characteristics and marketing strategies.

Liang Feng: “Build a running group growth system, provide rich supporting resources, and empower running groups.”

“Running groups have really only emerged in China for about 5-6 years,” said Liang Feng, founder of Joyrun, citing running community data. “Currently, active runners on the Joyrun app run an average of about 16km per week. Assuming three runs per week, that’s roughly 5km per session. Five kilometers is actually a relatively entry-level standard—runners can manage it even in sneakers or cotton T-shirts, which doesn’t substantially drive the promotion or sales of professional running gear. To address this, Joyrun has established a comprehensive membership growth system to encourage runners to challenge themselves and keep ‘leveling up.’ At the same time, it builds offline channels for in-depth interaction between brands and users, fostering mutual understanding.”

Sharing opportunities and facing challenges together. Whether it’s the winter sports industry brimming with confidence, outdoor brands striving for trend crossovers, or tech-focused players committed to specialization and cutting-edge innovation, everyone is unanimously gearing up for the upcoming growth points in the outdoor industry!The Asia-Pacific Outdoor Show wishes to celebrate every bit of industry progress and cheer for every technological innovation alongside all brands.