However, in 2019, a report by the association on the nation's outdoor sports industry showed that 50 percent of respondents took part in hiking, mountain climbing and camping activities fewer than 10 times that year. Most parents also said they were willing for their children to engage in outdoor sports.

The report said a typical outdoor sports fan is a young or middle-aged male with a bachelor's degree, who has been employed for more than eight years.

Domestic destinations, including those in mountainous areas, are striving to use their rich natural resources to attract more visitors through tourism products, good service and facilities.

These venues include Mount Siguniang in Sichuan province, a popular spot for snow-mountain climbers. Annual ice climbing and other competitions are staged on the 6,250-meter mountain, where an operational system has been established for outdoor sports.

Meanwhile, in October, a conference on mountain sports was held in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Experts and mountaineers from home and overseas discussed snow mountains and outdoor sports at the event, which was aimed at coming up with ideas to make Mount Siguniang an international destination.