On September 3, 2014, Sheng Faqiang, Chairman of Beijing Explorer Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., and Qu Xiangdong, Chairman of Xingzhi Exploration Culture Communication Co., Ltd., signed a cooperation agreement. Through a capital increase, Explorer strategically invested in Jizhimei, a leading domestic polar travel agency, aiming to expand into the "light adventure and nature travel" market and further consolidate the development of its outdoor ecosystem centered on Greenfield. After the transaction, Explorer will hold a 56.52% stake in Jizhimei.
Jizhimei is a nature-themed travel service provider primarily focused on expeditions to the North and South Poles. It holds outbound tourism operation qualifications and is China’s first professional agency dedicated to polar expeditions. Its travel offerings include flights to the South Pole (and North Pole), trekking, icebreaker voyages to the North Pole, and cruise tours around the Antarctic Peninsula—covering all major international modes of accessing the polar regions. The agency has helped over 1,200 people reach the polar areas, including more than 600 who have been to the North and South Poles. Jizhimei is currently the only professional Chinese travel agency that is a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and attends its annual meetings. It has earned widespread recognition from IAATO, AECO, and other international organizations, as well as from Chinese scientific institutions and polar travel enthusiasts. With the growth of China’s tourism market and rising incomes, public demand for travel is gradually evolving—from traditional sightseeing, or "arrival-based travel," toward deeper, experiential theme travel centered on immersing oneself in and enjoying nature. The proportion of nature-themed travel is increasing year by year. As one of the most mysterious regions of the natural world, the polar regions have captured growing attention, especially from high-net-worth individuals seeking high-quality light adventure experiences. According to relevant reports, in developed countries such as those in Europe and America, nature-themed travel already accounts for more than half of the entire travel market share. This indicates vast potential for growth in China’s "nature travel" market.
Through the careful selection of distinctive routes and continuous refinement of product and service details, Jizhimei has built an excellent reputation and strong influence in the high-end nature-themed travel market, particularly polar expeditions. This investment and partnership will help Jizhimei strengthen its polar resources, broaden its business scope, and fully leverage the resources of the Greenfield platform to offer outdoor travelers more light adventure routes and high-quality nature travel services, taking advantage of rapid growth in the premium outbound travel market. Following Explorer’s strategic investment, Jizhimei Travel Agency will continue to work closely with its original parent company, Xingzhi Exploration, sharing high-quality customer resources and a vibrant cultural environment.
Explorer’s strategic investment in Jizhimei opens up broader opportunities for the future development of both parties. It marks a solid step forward in Explorer’s transformation into a comprehensive outdoor sports service provider. The future outcomes of Explorer’s embrace of the internet and its user-centered approach to building the "outdoor ecosystem" are well worth our anticipation.