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D
on’t call it a comeback, but the
camping market is re-establishing
itself as an engine for outdoor retail
sales. Once left for dead, or at least
flat-lined, this large and mature market
has experienced very little good news since
the late 1990s, at least in terms of participation
numbers. More recently, however, overnight
camping has been injected with a new, youthful
energy that could lead to years of sustained
growth, and one would be hard pressed to find
better news for the outdoor market.
After all, this trend is a lot bigger than a pair of
innovative shoes, a cool new electronic device or a
new board and a few accessories. Rather, several
product categories throughout the outdoor retail
sales floor that fall under the camping umbrella
have enjoyed robust sell-through the past few
years, from backpacking tents, camp chairs and
mummy bags, to stoves, lanterns and coolers.
Excuse the mixed metaphor, but camping’s rising
tide lifts a lot of boats.
Let’s also not forget how overnight camping
has proven itself to be a gateway to other outdoor
Camping market re-emerges as a driver
of industry growth
By
Martin
Vilaboy
Inside
Outdoor
|
Spring
2016
30