Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) published its newest Outdoor Participation Trends report, noting that the outdoor recreation participant base grew 4.1 percent to a record 175.8 million, in 2023.
Of those, 57.3 percent of participants were six or older.
Participants increased across demographics and activities, including hiking, biking, camping, running and fishing. In 2023, 7.7 million Americans tried one or more outdoor recreation activities for the first time.
New and young outdoor recreation participants are driving growth and increased diversity in the outdoor recreation participant base, including increasing numbers of women, people of color, and seniors. Engaging these new, more diverse, more casual participants to
participate more frequently, OIA noted, is the key opportunity for the outdoor industry today.
At the same time, the average number of outings, per participant, fell 11.4 percent, from 70.5 (2022) to 62.5 (2023). This data could help explain why retail sales are down even though the number of participants increased materially. Participant bases also became more ethnically and racially diverse over the period, with Hispanic (13.4 percent), Black (10.3 percent), Asian or Pacific Islander (5.3 percent) and other ethnic/racial origins (1.4 percent) represented. While the number and percentage of Hispanic and Black people in the core have increased, the slower rate of increase compared to growth in the overall participant base indicates a lack of engagement in the more diverse participant base.
Additionally, women – for the first time ever – represented more than half of those participating in outdoor recreation. Female participation reached 51.9 percent (2023), up from 50 percent (2022). American males found a new level in their participation rate too, which reached a record high of 62.9 percent (2023).
Participation rates for those aged 55-64 also increased, from 41.2 percent (2019) to 49.7 percent (2023).
Although the number of outdoor recreation participants increased, the number of outdoor outings has remained relatively flat over the last decade. Over the same ten-year period that witnessed record growth in outdoor recreation participants, the frequency of participation fell from 84 outings per year (2014) to 62.5 (2023).
For the full report, click here.
