Camping fire out of the circle: how a tent supports "poetry and distance"
"In the circle of friends on weekends, people are either camping or on their way to camping." If we want to talk about the most popular leisure method at the moment, camping that is out of the circle must have a place.
Find a green space, build a sky curtain, support a tent, prepare a table of food, chat with three or five friends, and taste delicious food - camping allows people to find another way to open life in a reinforced concrete city. Intimate contact with nature makes "poetry and distance" within reach.
Why is camping a trend? Exquisite camping, where is the sophistication? As a rapidly developing industry, what are the "growing pains" in the camping industry? How can the camping industry develop healthily? Reporters look for answers in research interviews.
Camping photos "occupy" the circle of friends, and the market rises rapidly
Wang Yijie, who lives in Beijing, feels that "the camping will become popular".
"During the 'Qingming' holiday, several of my friends were taking pictures of the camping, which made my heart itch. After that, we went to Yinghai to find a piece of land to set up our tent on the weekend, and there was a rapeseed field next to it. The children had a great time. "On a Saturday in late April, Wang Yijie and her family experienced camping.
On this day, Ning Yuan and her friends were also camping, but they chose a more advanced way of playing -- exquisite camping.
Bringing meals, drinks, baking trays, coffee machines and even ice machines, Ning Yuan and his friends came to the pre-booked Jinhai Lake Small Three Gorges Camp in Beijing "like a house move".
"The scenery is so good, it is indeed the ceiling of the campsite." Ning Yuan said.
As the weather warmed up and the spring flowers bloomed, many people walked out of their homes with camping equipment and came to a "date" with the good weather.
During the "May Day" holiday this year, tents and canopies can be seen everywhere in places such as Duyi Ruins Park in Xi'an, Shaanxi, and Xianghu Lake Scenic Area in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
Camping photos "occupy" the circle of friends, and "one is hard to find" for camping spots in parks and green spaces has become the norm.
Cheng Chaogong, chief researcher of Tongcheng Research Institute, observed that in the past two years, camping has become popular on social platforms such as Xiaohongshu, and this year it has become a "top stream".
With the increasing popularity of camping, related equipment, catering, camps, transportation, etc. have also become hot topics.
The data confirms this judgment: on Xiaohongshu, following the year-on-year increase of 290% in the search volume during the "May 1st" period in 2020 and a year-on-year increase of 230% during the "May 1st" period in 2021, the year-on-year search volume for camping during the "May 1st" period this year is year-on-year. An increase of 746%, and the popularity of camping is accelerating.
A report released by Ctrip pointed out that on the first day of the May Day holiday this year, the popularity of camping on the platform reached a historical peak, and the search popularity increased by 90% from the previous week.
According to the big data of Tongcheng Travel, the camping market continued to heat up during the "May Day" holiday this year, and the popularity of "camping" related travel searches increased by 117% month-on-month.
The popularity of camping has led to the rapid rise of a huge market.
Last year, after camping at a camp in Jinhai Lake with friends, Wang Long, a Beijing citizen who already owns tents and canopies, bought Kermit chairs and other equipment online.
Like Wang Long, many young people who pursue exquisite camping are not satisfied with camping with tents only.
For them, canopies, Kermit chairs, folding tables, grills, griddles, coffee makers, and even ambience string lights are standard camping features.
After browsing an online shopping platform, the reporter found that the purchase of "entry-level" camping equipment such as Qitian curtains, Kermit chairs, egg roll tables, and tents should cost at least a thousand yuan. To double; if you also cook or create the atmosphere, the budget will continue to go higher.
Above the tuyere, capital has entered the camping track one after another.
According to the company's data, there are 93,000 camping-related enterprises in my country.
According to iiMedia Research, from 2014 to 2021, the scale of China's core camping market has grown from 10.02 billion yuan to 74.75 billion yuan, driving the market size to increase from 47.11 billion yuan to 381.23 billion yuan.
Pandemic boosts people's desire to be close to nature
Why is the wind in camping so strong?
In the interview, several industry insiders mentioned the boosting effect of the epidemic.
It is true that the epidemic has stopped people from traveling far, but it cannot suppress people's desire to travel.
Today, when "micro-tourism" is popular, camping that can "steal a half-day leisure" without trekking mountains and waters has become a trend, which is naturally reasonable.
Cui Li, a professor at the School of Tourism Science of Beijing International Studies University, told reporters that under the background of normalization of epidemic prevention and control, camping tourism has become the choice of more tourists relying on attributes such as short distances, light luxury, closeness to nature, and social interaction.
In addition, with the popularization of private cars, the gradual improvement of urban and rural roads and infrastructure, the rise of the camping economy is also a product of economic and social development.
Cheng Chaogong introduced that in the early days, the domestic camping method was mainly outdoor camping, which was highly professional and technical, and required a lot of time, brainpower, and financial resources, and the threshold was relatively high.
Nowadays, camping continues to be hot. First, after the epidemic has restricted outdoor travel, the emergence of exquisite camping has matched the market demand and has reduced traditional camping methods. Consumers can bring their own tents to the campground and only need to pay the ticket fee; You can bring nothing and rent related supplies after arriving at the camp to enjoy camping more easily.
Second, with the steady growth of my country's national income, people are more eager to get close to nature and experience diverse and fresh leisure methods.
The two work together to promote the rapid development of the camping economy.
As the founder of the camping life brand Dare Wilderness, Zhu Xian smelled the business opportunities of exquisite camping earlier than the average person.
In Zhu Xian's view, in addition to the boost of the epidemic, people's inner needs to return to nature and the promotion of consumption upgrades, the power of content dissemination should not be underestimated.
"Around 2019, content platforms represented by Douyin and Xiaohongshu rose, and young people turned to these platforms to obtain information. Outdoor camping scenes were very conducive to dissemination, and it was easy to set off a camping trend." Zhu Xian said.
Cheng Chaogong also believes that compared to camping, exquisite camping has stronger entertainment and social attributes.
On social platforms, Meimei's camping photos and videos can attract more young people to "plant grass" and join the camping army.
In addition, when three or five friends are camping, they can also play games, ride, enjoy flowers, concerts, night tours and other games for leisure and entertainment and enhance their feelings.
"It looks beautiful" camping, but also has many "growing pains"
Compared with finding a park or outdoor green space for camping, Wang Long prefers professional camps.
"Although the cost is higher, the camp environment is better, providing services such as renting tents, power supplies, etc., which is more worry-free." Wang Long said.
However, there are also many people who think that the camp charges are too high and not cost-effective.
The reporter checked some camps with good reputation in Beijing. On the premise that tent rental and other services are charged separately, the admission fee is about 130 yuan per person.
Are these charges too high?
Where are the expenses mainly used?
Zhu Xian told reporters that in terms of site selection, infrastructure and operation, professional campsites are generally located around first-tier cities or near scenic spots. The scenery is pleasant and relatively close to nature, but it is not too wild and the surrounding transportation is convenient; Purchase travel accident insurance, conduct regular safety education and first aid training for staff; plan the interior of the camp, establish service centers, toilets, washrooms, etc., and conduct long-term maintenance and trimming of the lawn.
The reporter learned that in addition to the basic operating costs such as venues, water, electricity, and labor maintenance, some camps also provide music performances, interactive games, etc., so that tourists can have a better sense of experience.
Relatively speaking, the cost of camping in parks or green spaces is much lower, but not all parks can "set up camp".
In Beijing, many parks prohibit camping.
Cheng Chaogong explained that the park mainly takes into account the need for daily maintenance of the lawn, and the large flow of people on the park roads and the potential safety hazards of setting up tents on the roadside. The parks that can be set up tents are mainly country parks.
There are also some hidden dangers in outdoor green space tents.
From April 4 to 10, Nanjing Fire alone received 118 reports of lawn fires, some of which were caused by the careless use of fire by campers.
In addition, uncivilized behaviors such as discarding garbage at random also caused the tents to be removed, leaving a mess and destroying the ecological environment.
At the same time, some professional camps that "look beautiful" have a huge difference between "buyer show" and "seller show". The photos under the "filters" of others look beautiful, but after their actual experience, they feel different. Not worth the fare.
In addition, young people who are used to urban life are also prone to overestimate their tolerance for the outdoor overnight environment because of novelty.
Talking about the problems in the industry, Cui Li analyzed that in the face of the booming camping economy in the past two years, many camp operators have not been fully prepared.
In many camps, public facilities are not complete, and public toilets are even in a filthy environment.
In terms of product supply, some operators seek to make quick money and do not focus on the camping experience. The products provided are too single, and the participation and interaction are insufficient, which is easy to make campers feel fatigued.
In addition, the food quality of some camps is poor, which greatly affects the experience of campers.
There are also some operators who do not understand relevant laws and regulations when choosing camping sites, and are easy to touch the red line.
In addition, the camping industry is in the early stage of development in my country, and campsites lack corresponding access standards and national-level management methods, resulting in a mixed industry and difficult management.
"At present, the problems in the camping industry are mainly concentrated as follows: the explosion of local camping has led to a large number of new people entering the game in a short period of time, but the qualifications, backgrounds and service quality of businesses are uneven, and the infrastructure and supporting facilities are not perfect, resulting in poor consumer experience; single camping products, It cannot bring more market space; the environmental pollution problem caused by camping is gradually becoming more prominent." Cheng Chaogong pointed out.
From jumping red to long red, the key is to "practice internal skills"
How to solve the "growing pains" in the camping economy that has been running all the way?
Cui Li said that camp operators should focus on improving facilities, improving the level of intelligence and facilitation of camping equipment, and taking good ecological responsibilities.
When the track is crowded and more and more companies want to share the "cake" of camping, it is particularly important to do good quality.
Facing different consumer groups, it is necessary to provide a differentiated camping experience and gain stronger competitiveness with a good reputation.
Through "camp + scenic spots", "camp + research", "camp + sports", "camp + performing arts" and other modes, it provides more abundant camping products.
"Campers should also regulate their own behavior, strictly abide by relevant regulations, and reduce the negative impact on the environment." Cui Li suggested that government departments and other management agencies should gradually improve camping operation standards, supervision systems and punishment mechanisms, and promote the standardization of campsite management processes. ,standardization.
The reporter observed and found that the "self-deficiency" of camping also brings uncertainty to the development of the industry.
On the one hand, camping is naturally constrained by seasonal and weather restrictions. On the other hand, the low repurchase rate also affects the profit margins and development prospects of merchants.
Zhu Xian believes that in the future, more purchases will come from people who like the outdoors and love camping. Some advanced players may camp 30-40 times a year, all with their own equipment, and the camp provides infrastructure.
"We can provide these players with different types of camps such as mountain camps and seaside camps, as well as equipment storage and cleaning and maintenance services." In Zhu Xian's view, primary, intermediate and advanced players have different demands and need to provide differentiated services. special service.
The camping economy, which has developed rapidly under the catalysis of the epidemic, can still thrive when the epidemic dissipates and the tourism industry resumes development?
"The industry outlet may cool down, which will cause a certain impact. The camping industry, which does not seem to have a high threshold, actually needs strong professional ability and continuous product iteration ability." Cheng Chaogong believes that at present, it is necessary to judge the future of the camping industry. It is still too early, but it is certain that quality and grading will be a development direction.
Zhu Xian said that whether it is travel or vacation, the public's demand to return to nature and release themselves is always there.
Camping is a highly inclusive business format, and various business formats such as coffee and markets can be integrated with it.
It is expected that the domestic camping market will enter a period of steady development after the current short-term outbreak and become a very popular way of outdoor activities.
How can the camping industry go healthier and longer?
Cui Li said that the camping economy is not a short-term quick-money project, nor a leek project, but a new engine that drives the sustainable development of domestic tourism in the future.
To be an excellent camping economy requires strong service capabilities and scientific management thinking. It is by no means a simple tent and three meals.
Cheng Chaogong pointed out that for the healthy and long-term development of the camping economy, it is necessary to "practice internal skills" in the end.
It is necessary to establish a formal camping base and conduct standardized management.
In the future, there will be a variety of camping styles such as park-type, forest-type, and island-type. Camping brands need to find a good positioning to provide more refined and higher-quality products for people with different camping needs and enhance brand influence.
At the same time, tourism platforms can take advantage of the supply chain to integrate high-quality resources and help camping companies develop collaboratively.
(Reporter Chen Chen of this newspaper)