Summer vacation is the peak season for young people to travel and also the most active time for "donkey friends."
Having grown tired of the group tour style of "sleeping on the bus and taking photos upon arrival," in the past decade, many residents of Suzhou have experienced true travel in the "donkey" way. They dress simply, carry large backpacks and camera bags, adapt to local customs, interact closely with locals, and gain more authentic experiences. After their journeys, they showcase what they've seen and heard along the way through unique perspectives using cameras, writing, and other means. Their travels are simple yet joyful.
"Donkey friends" can be solo travelers but prefer to go in groups. Outdoor clubs are the ones that customize routes and provide logistical support for them. With more and more people joining the ranks of "donkey friends," donkey friend clubs in Suzhou have sprung up like mushrooms after rain. What is their living situation like? How is the safety of donkey friends' travels ensured? Should outdoor sports be legislated and regulated? How can the government effectively supervise? These are all unresolved topics in the "donkey era."
Outdoor Club Activities
Outdoor sports are a collective activity held in natural settings, including mountaineering, rock climbing, cliff rappelling, camping in the wild, cooking outdoors, orienteering, stream exploration, adventure activities, and more. Most are exploratory in nature, belonging to extreme and sub-extreme sports, offering great challenges and thrills.
Outdoor sports are also a form of deep travel. Compared to traditional travel agency routes, outdoor clubs rarely visit well-developed scenic spots and instead stay closer to nature and local customs throughout. Compared to donkey friend gatherings organized on an AA basis, clubs have professional personnel designing routes, expert guides, and dedicated organizations.
Playing outdoors has its own set of rules. Big Bear introduced the general process of activities to reporters as follows: the club designs a route and posts it on the forum, where interested individuals can sign up directly—this process is open to everyone. Then, all registered participants must attend a meet-up, which may have specific requirements depending on the route. At the meet-up, the club organizer and guide explain the route in detail and observe the age, physical fitness, experience, and other abilities of the registrants. For those whose abilities do not meet the route's requirements, the club will advise them to withdraw. During the activity, participants cover their own food, accommodation, and transportation costs and also pay a certain management fee and guide fee. According to the Suzhou market, the daily management fee per person is around 20 yuan. After the activity, the club usually organizes a photo selection meeting—a small gathering of members to enjoy travel photos and relive memories.
A Promising Potential Market
A survey of 100 people: 18 have been donkey friends, 7 have joined outdoor clubs
To more realistically reflect the activity status of Suzhou’s outdoor clubs, the investigative reporters conducted a sampling survey of 100 people using telephone and QQ. The subjects were middle-aged and young people aged 20-45 who have long-term residency in Suzhou. The survey focused on two points: first, whether they have had the experience of being a donkey friend and, if so, what type; second, if planning a short trip to an undecided location, which method they would choose—joining a travel agency group, self-driving, backpacking, or joining a donkey friend club.
The survey results were very encouraging. Among the respondents, 18 considered themselves to have been "donkey friends" and experienced such a lifestyle. Of these, 7 had participated in activities organized by outdoor clubs. Regarding travel plans, the most accepted mode of travel was self-driving, with over 40% choosing short-distance self-drive trips. Those willing to be backpackers and those inclined to join donkey friend clubs were each around 10 people. If the survey results are close to reality, then just within the Suzhou city area alone, the potential number of "donkey friends" could reach hundreds of thousands. This is a massive market with "hidden treasures."
Reporters found that Suzhou residents have a relatively high level of awareness and acceptance toward donkey friends and donkey friend clubs. Those who have participated in outdoor club activities often become loyal fans. Among the 7 who reported having contact with outdoor clubs, 5 still frequently take part in club activities. On the other hand, respondents who have not engaged in outdoor sports mostly feel hesitant. On one hand, they envy the free-spirited travel style of donkey friends; on the other hand, deterred by the “self-punishing” itineraries of donkey friends, they give up trying and opt for short-distance self-driving trips instead. Currently, domestic online travel service platforms are quite developed, allowing travelers to book rooms and tickets online in advance, making independent travel very popular. The prevalence of online retailers has taken away some of the customer base of outdoor clubs.
The Future Is Bright, the Reality Is Harsh
Outdoor Clubs Face “Four Major Challenges”
Holding a huge potential market does not mean that Suzhou’s outdoor clubs are all doing well.
Not a travel agency, not a civil organization, not a company, yet engaging in commercial operations. What exactly is the identity of an outdoor club? This leaves the club managers in an awkward position. Since their rise around 2003, Suzhou’s outdoor clubs have faced many uncertainties.
In 2007, donkey friend "Big Bear" founded the Big Bear Outdoor Club, turning his hobby of outdoor sports into a career. Now, this club has become one of the largest outdoor clubs in Suzhou, owning a dedicated office, its own forum, and nearly 8,000 registered users. However, when interviewed by reporters, he repeatedly stated that his business faces serious crises and that life is very tough. Is this modesty or the truth?
Cost Crisis: "Not Starving, But Not Thriving" Is the Common State—Running a Club Costs at Least 100,000 Yuan Annually
Regarding the survival status of outdoor clubs, an unnamed club manager explained that there are currently four or five relatively formal and slightly larger outdoor clubs in Suzhou. Each operates similarly, and their situations can only be described as "not starving, but not thriving."
According to Big Bear’s calculations, his club has only one full-time guide, while the other 20+ guides are part-timers. To maintain normal operations, the club needs to cover expenses in three main areas: his own salary, training costs, and payment for the 20+ part-time guides; the rent for the leased office space, which is also the headquarters of the Big Bear Club, costing 1,900 yuan per month, or 22,800 yuan per year; and consumables used during activities, such as shared medications. Even calculated at minimum standards, maintaining the club costs around 100,000 yuan per year.
The club’s income comes from two sources: the management fees collected from each participant during activities, and revenue from corporate team-building training and custom route services. Compared to management fees, this latter part has gradually become the main income source. "Compared to when we started in 2007, as participation and activity frequency have increased, the club’s situation has improved a lot in recent years. Our annual income and expenses are roughly balanced. Right now, the club can only afford one full-time guide, and any more would be too much," said Big Bear.
Route Crisis: Battle for Routes—The Strong Can’t Beat the Local Experts, Often Paving the Way for Scenic Areas
"Outdoor clubs are essentially working for future scenic areas," Big Bear said with frustration.
Since Big Bear started in this field, he has designed and explored countless routes. A common scenario is that outdoor clubs discover good routes, organize trips for members, and through word of mouth or online posts and photos, attract more and more donkey friends. Once locals notice the business potential, they develop these areas into scenic spots. "Once these places become official tourist sites, we stop going there," Big Bear said. Take the Huizhou-Hangzhou Ancient Path as an example. Before 2008, it was an open ancient path with nice scenery, and many outdoor clubs would include it in their itineraries. As more people went, locals built archways along the path and turned it into a scenic area.
How are the numerous outdoor routes across China formed? Big Bear explains it this way: "For outdoor enthusiasts, discovering a great route is as rewarding as a scientist discovering a truth." In the past, routes were more often designed based on personal experience and passion, but now, it relies more on resource sharing and route exchanges among clubs. Friends from all over the country provide Big Bear with different inspirations. If he wants a new route in the Anhui direction, he’ll contact a local club there, explain his preferences—whether it’s mountaineering, stream tracing, or leisure travel—and the local club, based on its expertise, will suggest many options. Combining their suggestions creates a new route.
Veteran donkey friend "Marco" observed that in recent years, some local governments have been eager to have outdoor clubs explore routes. Places like Jiangxi's Wugong Mountain and Zhejiang's Ninghai have even run promotional campaigns specifically targeting donkey friend clubs. For example, the annual Wugong Mountain Tent Festival organizers not only waive entry fees for donkey friend clubs but also host treasure hunts and lottery events. The clubs only need to cover transportation costs. From the perspective of local governments, donkey friend clubs have strong influence in tourism. Once a club explores a route, it can mature into a famous scenic spot in a few years without requiring heavy marketing investment.
Talent Crisis: Excellent Guides Are a Scarce Resource—Part-Time Guides Earn 300 Yuan Per Day
"A good guide is more important than the route itself." When it comes to the importance of guides, outdoor club managers are full of praise.
In the past two months, Daxiong has been feeling quite regretful. The Hulunbuir Grassland in June and July, with its wildflowers in full bloom, presents an incredibly enchanting scenery. Had this tour route been launched, it would surely have attracted many participants. However, without finding a suitable tour leader, the trip kept getting postponed and is now entering August, missing the grassland’s most beautiful season. “For long-distance trips like Hulunbuir, participants have very high expectations and demand a lot from the tour leader. Our club lacks talent in this area, so we had to give it up reluctantly,” said Daxiong.
Outdoor tour leaders, professionally referred to as social sports instructors, must obtain certification by completing no less than seven days of professional outdoor leadership training. This includes practical exercises such as wilderness survival, equipment use, gear handling, rappelling, rock climbing, camping, as well as assessments in team organization and management, outdoor risk management, first aid, and radio communication. In reality, clubs have even higher requirements for tour leaders. Beyond professional outdoor skills, physical fitness, and experience, they also need strong leadership, communication, and organizational coordination abilities—qualities that would also enable individuals to excel and earn good pay and status in other industries. Due to the single profit model of outdoor clubs, it’s difficult to retain such talent.
In actual outdoor activities, many tour leaders are what are called “veteran hikers.” According to industry insiders, based on the current market in Suzhou, for short-distance tours, a part-time tour leader can earn around 300 yuan per day.
Safety Crisis: Always Stay Alert – Human Error Accounts for 85% of Outdoor Accidents
In recent years, outdoor accidents have occurred frequently, with human factors playing a significant role. Outdoor risks generally fall into two categories: human factors and natural factors. In fact, in past incidents, human error has accounted for over 85%.
With the booming popularity of outdoor activities like hiking and exploration, it seems that almost anyone dares to organize mountain expeditions. “Just post online and you can gather a group of hikers. Drivers, experienced hikers, or even QQ groups have organized trips into the mountains,” said Mark, a veteran hiker with eight years of experience, speaking “helplessly.”
The disorganized operations of outdoor clubs themselves have planted hidden dangers for the sport. Browsing major online forums, nearly all have sections dedicated to outdoor activities. Every Tuesday, outdoor clubs post recruitment notices for upcoming trips, bringing along a few “veteran hikers” as leaders, renting a few vehicles, and heading into the mountains. A female part-time tour leader from one outdoor club admitted that she once organized a trip with four or five buses, carrying over 200 people into the mountains. On weekends, it’s common for a club to take 70 or 80 hikers into the mountainous areas of Zhejiang.
Several relatively formal clubs in Suzhou manage risks through four key approaches. First, tour leaders must undergo professional training, possess solid personal qualities, and have a thorough understanding of the routes. Second, when selecting participants, they ensure that individuals’ capabilities match the route requirements. Third, they hire local guides and drivers familiar with the area. Fourth, they purchase insurance before departure to minimize losses in case of danger. “There have been some safety incidents in the Suzhou industry, but fortunately none were serious, and they were handled fairly smoothly,” revealed an industry insider.
In June this year, outdoor sports organizations in Suzhou held a preparatory meeting for an industry association, aiming to introduce regulations to standardize this emerging sector.
Not Transforming Is Waiting to Die, But Transforming May Be Suicide?
How Outdoor Clubs Can Build Core Competitiveness
In recent years, with the growing number of self-driving tourists, do outdoor clubs feel threatened? Daxiong admitted that the core advantages of outdoor club travel still exist and cannot be replaced by self-driving. However, despite this, to change the “barely surviving” business model, transformation has become an inevitable path for outdoor clubs.
Two Core Competitive Advantages: Nature and Group Experience
Compared to self-driving tours, outdoor sports have at least two core strengths.
First, the close connection with nature—walking every inch of the land with your own feet and immersing your body in nature. Experiencing local customs and traditions firsthand, letting go of your usual identity and truly engaging with the environment, are all experiences impossible to achieve from inside a vehicle. Second, the power of group dynamics in outdoor activities. Going from strangers to acquaintances, and then to friends, is a beautiful process that participants gradually experience during the journey. Often, by the end of a trip, a group of initially unfamiliar people become good friends—something that sitting in a car during a self-driving trip simply cannot offer. “The outdoors is a kind of ‘poison.’ Many people get hooked after just one trip, and I’ve been deeply addicted myself,” said Daxiong. He explained that in Suzhou’s outdoor community, there are many such individuals who embark on dozens of long and short trips each year. Whenever time and money allow, they pack their bags and hit the road. “On my forum, I see new hikers signing up every day, and many veterans keep joining trips. It’s because I’ve seen so many ‘addicts’ that I’m so optimistic about this industry. I believe this path will only grow broader in the future,” Daxiong added.
Focusing on “Challenging” Adventures While Optimizing Routes to Attract More People
After six years of development, Daxiong is constantly exploring ways to improve. Currently, his main focus is optimizing tour routes. The strength of outdoor activities lies in their high level of participation and experiential elements. However, this also reduces comfort levels, with greater variability in food, accommodation, and transportation—sometimes even roughing it in the wild, which insiders call “playing rough.” This often deters many potential participants. Traditional travel agencies, on the other hand, mostly visit well-developed attractions where food, lodging, and transport are guaranteed, offering higher comfort but less experiential value.
Balancing these two aspects, Daxiong has optimized his routes—especially for weekend short trips—by reducing difficulty and increasing comfort and leisure, while also introducing routes suitable for family and parent-child travel.
The most noticeable result of these improvements is the change in participant demographics. Among current club members, the proportion of women has risen to nearly 70%, largely due to the recent introduction of more leisure-focused routes that appeal particularly to female travelers, such as relaxed tours of ancient towns like Xitang and Wuzhen. Additionally, the age range of participants has broadened significantly—from young children to seniors over 60—many of whom can join simpler routes. “But I still stick to the core of outdoor sports. Look, over 80% of my participants are aged 25 to 35. Challenging routes with higher technical demands and intensity are still mainly tackled by adventurous young men,” Daxiong said.
Serving Businesses or Individual Travelers? Can’t Have Both
Another direction for outdoor club transformation is undertaking corporate outdoor training programs and customized travel services. In recent years, this has become a major source of income for outdoor clubs in Suzhou.
Each year, Daxiong’s club conducts outdoor training for dozens of companies. This year, he also organized a customized trip for a well-known human resources firm in Suzhou. Over 180 employees spent two days exploring the Nanxi River, and the outcome was positive.
Industry insiders admit that providing services to businesses yields better income, but it requires an acceptance process, and currently, few companies are willing. In Suzhou, a complete industrial chain in this area has yet to form. Most connections between companies and clubs are facilitated by club members who are also corporate managers. Expanding corporate business is also challenging. Most outdoor club operators are enthusiasts who started out of passion but lack marketing experience, relying mainly on word-of-mouth promotion.
Corporate services are more profitable but lose much of the joy of outdoor travel; individual travel is more enjoyable for participants but harder to monetize. How to balance the two and manage their relationship? In interviews, several club leaders admitted they have no clear answer yet. For now, they can’t abandon either and can only move forward while observing.
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