Koreans’ love of the outdoors has kept the nation spending on camping products despite the economic doldrums.
Less than a decade ago, not so many people used to enjoy camping in South Korea, and therefore, the size of the camping-related industry was fairly small. Over recent years, Koreans’ passion for outdoor leisure activities has changed everything. The camping item market has rapidly grown in the middle of the economic downturn and the types of camping equipment and items have become tremendously diverse in the local market. And, there a growing numbers of campers who are willing to open their wallets for spending on camping products.
Of course, Koreans’ improved living standards and keen attention to leading healthier lifestyles, since the implementation of the five-day workweek, have played a big role, but that does not explain it all.
Some experts say that the popular camping trend in Korea is, to some degree, associated with the changes in values of Koreans who were famous for their workaholic culture. The younger generations in Korea are taking a more serious view of family than their older counterparts. In addition, there are a rising number of people that enjoy quality time in harmony with nature as a “healing” way in the fiercely competitive society.
That’s what has made Koreans fall in love with into camping. On top of that, camping does not require special skills, unlike other outdoor activities.
Unlike the other countries where camping is one of popular outdoor activities, camping in Korea has been evolving into a year-round leisure activity in Korea and a variety of high-performance camping equipment is thus becoming especially popular.
According to recent data, the camping population is estimated at six million people with a market size of 600 billion won (about $527 million) and 1,900 camping grounds nationwide.
Reflecting the growth of the industry in Korea, there are some budding camping & outdoor expos in the country, including the upcoming Outdoor Camping Festival, running from June 17 to 19 at KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Center) in Goyang, Korea, and featuring a diversity of the newest outdoor and camping-related items, providing insights regarding the latest developments and trends of the industry in Korea.
Korean-Products.com | Blog Magazine of Korean products, brands and Goods
