China Goes Extreme
Rising incomes and a thirst for adventure drive a burgeoning adventure sports sector.
Trend Description
Up until a few years ago China barely featured on the extreme sports map, but recently the powers that be have put on a number of top events in the country, such as the Shanghai “X Games” and the 720 China Surf Open.
The number of young Chinese getting into high-adrenaline pursuits such as rock climbing, bungee jumping, surfing and skateboarding has been increasing by about a factor of five each year in China since the mid-1990s, when extreme sports first appeared in the Middle Kingdom.
Although individual companies are now profiting modestly from equipment sales and organizing group tours, businesspeople say consumer income, transportation and overall sporting awareness problems have so far limited the development of an extreme sports industry in China.
Image source: Extreme Sports Channel
Case Studies
Yangshuo: X-treme Vacation Capital of China
In southern China’s Guangxi Province, Yangshuo’s gorgeous picture postcard scenery, unique cuisine and laid back environment have long attracted those looking to escape the stress of city living. Now however, the growing popularity of adventure sports in China has opened up new possibilities for those in search of more high-adrenaline urban escapes, and Yangshuo is fast establishing itself as China’s premier destination for those seeking excitement in an unspoiled natural environment. Local karst topgraphy and fast flowing waterways provide endless opportunities for climbing, kayaking, trail biking and white water rafting, while those with a head for heights can take to the sky in hot air balloons to view some of China’s most idyllic landscapes.
Image source: Daniel Allen
Yamgo: X-treme TV
Extreme sports mobile TV company Yamgo recently launched a mobile TV channel, available in China, dedicated to extreme sports entertainment. Yamgo TV works on over 60 different mobile devices through the ROK TV service and is also available in the UK and US. Yamgo TV is streamed over both 2.5G and 3G services to mobile phones and provides 24-hour access to extreme sports entertainment.
Image source: 3G.co.uk
Waterworld China: X-treme Leisure
Atkins Architecture Group, the company responsible for buildings such as Tianjin’s Pile of Boxes and the Bahrain World Trade Center, recently won first prize in an international competition for their innovative and eye-catching Waterworld design. Set in a spectacular water filled quarry in 
Songjiang, near Shanghai, the 400 bed resort eco-hotel is uniquely constructed within the natural elements of a former quarry. Underwater public areas and guest rooms add to the uniqueness, but the resort also boasts cafes, restaurants and sporting facilities. The lowest level runs with the aquatic theme, housing a luxurious swimming pool, as well as an extreme sports center for activities such as rock climbing and bungee jumping which will be cantilevered over the quarry and accessed by special lifts from the water.
Image source: Inhabitat
Ballooning: X-treme Hot Air
Hot air ballooning is on the rise in China. At the end of a recent ballooning competition in Changchun, northern China, top Chinese top balloonist Liu Xiang stated his intention to fly over Mount Everest within three years. As the expense of hot-air ballooning is obviously high, there are only about 200 balloon and balloon licence holders in China right now. However, as incomes rise and adventure tourism takes off, these figures are sure to grow.
Image source: Daniel Allen
Trend Impact
Over the past 10 years, China has seen a wider ange of exteme action: cliff climbing, mountaineering, off-road biking, skateboarding, surfing, bungee jumping and various snow-based sports. Three Chinese magazines currently cover extreme sports. The most recent Shanghai X Games drew 200 athletes from around the world and 20,000 spectators, the state-owned Shanghai Star newspaper reported.
Businesses that sell equipment or organize trips can make money. Extreme Experience, a 600 square-meter, Beijing outdoor gear store and climbing wall owned by a Chinese developer who has trekked to the North Pole, organizes everything-included weekend rock climbing trips for 200 to 300 RMB to the Beijing suburbs and summer trips to Tibet. As Chinese people earn more and look for new ways to have fun, and tourist infrastructure develops, extreme sports will surely attract greater numbers of Chinese looking for some high-adrenaline action.