How can campsite development and water sports be integrated? A summary of industry experts' perspectives

This article is compiled based on the sharing of various guests at the China Camping Industry Open Class — Camping China Talk Shanghai ISPO Special Session. ISPO collaborates with Camping China to closely integrate water activities with campsite events, continuously exploring ways to enhance summer campsite operations, and jointly building a lifestyle that combines water sports with camping.

Key guests participating in this open class:

Deng Ji, President of the Chinese Canoeing Association

Jiang Xiangbei, Head of Standards and Norms Department, Social Affairs Division, Beijing Sports & Leisure Industry Association

Gan Wei, World Record Holder for High-Altitude Glacier Rafting

Ding Hongbo, Founder of Lucheng Network

Du Shuyi, Senior Vice President of Planning and Design at Shanghai ODM

Li Huahua, Founder of Shanghai Jigao Amusement Equipment Co., Ltd.

Host: Today we’re discussing the topic of integrating campsites with water sports. Among us are experts in water sports as well as those in campsite planning and construction. We hope to generate valuable and meaningful insights.

Host: Should campsite water area development focus on preserving natural features or on artificial development? If a campsite lacks natural water resources, is it necessary to invest in artificial water activities? What kinds of projects are feasible?

Deng Ji: I believe the charm of a campsite lies in its natural scenery and the relaxed state of mind it offers. As long as essential infrastructure is in place to handle reception functions, that’s sufficient. I’m not a strong advocate for excessive large-scale infrastructure or artificial development. Infrastructure investment is too costly, and given the current profit model of campsites, operators are still in a rather hesitant state. Therefore, I think maintaining the original natural features allows for greater creativity and possibilities.

Our conventional thinking assumes that water sports require large bodies of water, but in reality, there are many niche water sports, including many exciting activities that can be done in swimming pools. For example, paddleboard polo, water polo, and others. Additionally, some tech sports such as sailing model competitions also fall under water sports, which are very popular among youths and families. Such activities aren’t just experiences—they can involve training and have unlimited potential for expansion. So I believe that even without large open bodies of water, water sports can still be offered.

Jiang Xiangbei: First, campsite water area development should prioritize natural features over artificial development. It definitely should focus on preserving the original natural environment. But in China, most areas with excellent conditions for water sports are usually water source protection zones. And some water areas opened by the government are sometimes not suitable for mass recreational water activities. From an operational perspective, on one hand we need to make slight interventions and improvements to the site, and on the other hand, to ensure operational safety, adjustments must be made to hazardous areas. So, sometimes minimal artificial intervention in the environment is still necessary.

Gan Wei: In cases where there are no natural water bodies, should artificial ones be dug? First, we should understand several popular water sports. For example, for kayaking, if there are few competitive events, just a few hundred meters of water area is enough, but for more competitive settings, 1–2 kilometers are needed. Creating such a large area through artificial excavation would cost a lot. Also, for rafting, in 2013 there was a horseshoe-shaped venue where water was pumped to the top using five large pumps, creating a 400-meter drop loop pool—the construction cost of that venue was extremely high.

Deng Ji: As campsite operators, is it necessary for us to offer water sports activities?

Guest: Campsites should primarily focus on content, which can include various outdoor activities. Depending on each campsite’s planning conditions, suitable water sports can be selected.

Guest: China has a rich tradition of water culture. Since ancient times, the poetry and prose of literati have mostly been related to water. I live in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, which has excellent natural conditions—beautiful mountains and rivers, with both long flowing waters and short cascading streams—but there are very few water sports activities. Zhejiang has such a huge market with strong purchasing power, yet very few parents take their children to do water sports. As a parent in my forties, I’d also want my child to receive professional coaching, to truly immerse in nature and experience the joy of water.

Host: Jiangsu and Zhejiang have excellent water conditions, so why aren’t there many professional water experiences? Is it due to operational profitability issues, a lack of professionals, or other reasons?

Deng Ji: First, water sports have not been in China for long, and second, the industry lacks people. The shortage of people has two aspects: one is a lack of industry professionals, and the other is a lack of consumer audience. The public’s understanding of water sports still needs to develop gradually. Some projects may seem lively on the surface but are not actually profitable, and we lack a rational consumption mindset. Since we have only recently entered what is called the era of wellness and leisure, the policies of our local government authorities may not yet be keeping up with the trend. As practitioners, even if we are very eager to develop many water sports, we may not be able to obtain the necessary permits. Policy red lines cannot be crossed, and policy gaps cannot be filled in the short term—these are not issues that can be resolved simply through a couple of years of collective advocacy. Therefore, we need to give the government some time, give ourselves some time, and also give consumers some time. But I believe that the development of the water sports industry will get better and better as policies advance and public awareness evolves.

Host: Between the two types of water sports product formats, is it better to offer simple experience-based products? Or are high-end, professional-level products better?

Deng Ji: There’s nothing wrong with offering mass-market experience products—they serve the general public and profit from high traffic. On the other hand, offering highly specialized water sports products can elevate the business to the level of training and competitions, which can increase customer retention rates and foster greater loyalty and dependence on your camp brand and services. I think the choice between these two product formats should depend on the characteristics of your camp’s resources and your business model, and it can be dynamic—it doesn’t have to be an either/or, single-choice situation.

Li Huihua: In China, due to various objective reasons, there are very few water-based experience projects, but playing in water is human nature. So, I believe this market has huge potential. From the perspective of consumer demand, for a water sports base to be attractive, either the activities must be extremely unique and rare elsewhere, or there must be a rich variety of options. The future of water sports is very broad because China has a huge population base and a sufficient number of potential consumers. Even if the activities don’t require a high level of expertise and are just recreational, there is still a vast market.

Host: Can you share any good cases? How can one run a successful water sports camp?

Ding Hongbo: I’ve been thinking about whether there are any particularly good examples of projects that successfully combine water sports with camps, but I haven’t found any. On one hand, this is a new type of combination, and on the other, it is limited by factors such as venue availability, safety, and water quality. I’ve visited over ten camps, and none of them have made really good use of their water areas.

Domestic RV campsites are still in the early stages, and there are many possibilities for the future. You can try some location-specific activities. There’s no need to put too much effort into non-differentiated projects like water parks. For a camp to develop its own signature and flagship offerings, it takes some effort. For example, the East China region not only has strong domestic purchasing power, but it’s also part of the Jiangnan water town area—I think camp operators here could consider adding more distinctive activities. A campsite is a comprehensive platform involving land, sea, and air. The land aspect is closely tied to accommodation and RVs, as well as outdoor activities like hiking and cycling, which have been doing quite well in recent years. As for the water aspect, traditional events like dragon boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival can be organized. Air-based activities are more restricted, so we’ll set those aside for now. Water sports represent a new development direction, and once they take off, growth could be explosive. So everyone should keep a close eye on this and plan their projects carefully.

Host: As someone who comes from a professional athlete background, could you talk about the issue of talent cultivation in the industry?

Gan Wei: Looking at industry planning and development, the goal was to have 1,000 water sports clubs by 2020. Water sports include kayaking, rowing, diving, and many others. China has over 50,000 rivers, more than 85,000 artificial reservoirs, and over 6,500 islands larger than 500 square meters, making for a vast water area. Yet there are only 1,000 clubs, which is far from enough for China’s water sports scene. Additionally, the country does not lack professional talent—just 1,000 clubs means that retired athletes from previous years would basically be sufficient to fill those roles.

But what the industry truly lacks are versatile management professionals—people who understand both the operational management of clubs and how to promote the clubs and water sports. We have been working with the General Administration of Sport on transitioning retired athletes into new roles, allowing core technical personnel to serve various clubs and provide expert guidance to customers engaging in water sports. This ensures both safety and that participants can apply what they learn.

Because water sports have only recently become accessible to the general public, many aspects are still underdeveloped, especially when it comes to talent shortages. Athletes, who possess core technical skills developed over years of national training, could undergo systematic training after retirement to eventually manage and operate clubs. Using their technical expertise to serve the industry is something I believe is very necessary. Personally, I think having athletes transition into core club roles—people who understand both operational management and core technical skills, and who can also develop various training programs, including recreational and fitness plans—is essential. They shoulder the responsibility not only for pure fitness but also for the development of competitive sports.

Host: Currently, most of these professional, experience-based water sports projects are carried out by clubs. What is the current mode of cooperation between these clubs and camps? What kind of infrastructure conditions do clubs need camps to provide? Also, what is the profit outlook for camps?

Jiang Xiangbei: Based on my current understanding, the operational data looks quite promising. Generally, there are two main forms of cooperation between clubs and camps:

The first isthe leasing model,where the club leases land from the developer and pays an annual rent. Sometimes basic infrastructure is provided, and the rest is managed by the club.

The second is thecooperative operation model,where the club brings in traffic for the camp, boosting accommodation sales, and profits are shared between the two parties according to a certain ratio. There are also forward-thinking clubs that form joint ventures with investors and resource providers, holding partial shares in a company dedicated to operating the camp’s water sports activities. Profits are then distributed according to shareholding ratios.

Host:Are there any good ways to solve the customer acquisition problem for water sports?

Jiang Xiangbei:Water sports product design plays a big role. If you’re just offering impromptu play-based activities, the chances of getting repeat customers are relatively low. But if you start by creating a training and growth plan for customers from the beginning, customer loyalty will be much stronger. In terms of customer acquisition, from last year to now, it’s been a boom period for water sports. Public awareness of activities like kayaking and paddleboarding has increased. So, apart from the traditional stable summer vacation crowd, weekend traffic is also significant—nowadays, we do more team-building activities for local businesses.

Du Shuyi:Water activities and campgrounds fall under outdoor cultural industries. Abroad, it's activities that drive the industry. In China, it's the opposite—the industry is trying to integrate culture. Promoting campgrounds can involve schools, instilling the concept of outdoor living culture in children from a young age, including camping and water activities. Nowadays, education promotes DIY, and many overseas camping programs involve campers completing projects themselves.

Host:Whether it's water sports or campgrounds, both are emerging industries in China. Between the two, which do you think will drive the development of the other first?

Deng Ji:From my perspective, I’d prefer the camping industry to drive water sports projects, because the investment in campgrounds is currently much, much larger than that in water sports clubs.

In reality, these two industries should support each other and develop together. Their integration requires mutual demand—demand is the foundation for cooperative development. Demand is something our industry organizations and professionals need to keep learning about and reflecting on these past two years. We consult campground experts, listen to their needs, and combine our capabilities to provide corresponding services.

Jiang Xiangbei:At present, the campground industry is definitely larger. However, domestic campgrounds are highly homogeneous, with few able to create their own unique features. So, water sports can actually be a key factor in helping campgrounds differentiate themselves. Personally, I think in the short term, water sports development will drive the construction and growth of campgrounds. Especially as grassroots water sports competitions continue to rise—people who want to experience water sports will inevitably seek out places where these activities can be held. Once the development of water sports brings in visitors, supporting services like dining, accommodation, and facilities will also emerge. A campground with water sports enthusiasts visiting can easily sustain itself.

Ding Hongbo:Water bodies are very important to campgrounds—they are an essential part of them. I think either one could drive the other. If visitors come for the water activities, then the campground benefits. If they come for the campground, then the water area can help retain them. A campground is a platform—some require quite large investments, and water areas also involve significant project inputs, with relatively longer return-on-investment cycles. The two should complement each other.