According to the Outdoor Foundation, 2009 showed encouraging growth in important segments of core outdoor activities like camping, hiking, running and bicycling. The initial data from the study shows that general participation in these four “core” outdoor sports increased 3.3% percent to 100.7 million participants compared to 97.5 million participants last year. Cost-effective, done-in-a-day activities continued with strong increases.
“We see the economy driving people back to nature. This has tremendous implications for health and wellness issues surrounding the sharp increases in childhood obesity,” said Christine Fanning, executive director of Outdoor Foundation. “Outdoor recreation is finally being recognized as part of the solution. Our position is that nature should be the first prescription.”
Other activities that saw a boost in 2009 include RV Camping, Car Camping, and Day Hiking. White Water Kayaking and Canoeing were the only two paddlesports activities to show growth this year. All types of climbing activities showed declines in the study.
Among all of the Outdoor Activities, Day Hiking and Trail Running are showing the most positive growth trends over a five-year period increasing 8.4% and 16.0% respectively.
Snow Sports showed solid increases year-over-year with the strongest growth coming from the more aerobic activities. Snowshoeing had 17.4% more participants in 2009 than in 2008 and Cross Country Skiing had 8.0% more participants, year over year.
While the 2009 economy had a positive impact on activity and participation levels, it had a negative impact on spending in sports, fitness and recreation. Only 4.5% of active participants said they had spent more on recreation in 2009 than in 2008. The biggest decreases came from equipment and travel. However, looking forward to 2010, there are positive signs with significant numbers of respondents set to increase spending in those categories.
The study also shows that activities at school age have shown to be a major factor in determining future outdoor recreation participant levels. While three quarters of respondents took part in physical education (PE) at school, just over a third took part in outdoor activities. PE at school continues to be a pathway to an active adulthood.
Even though 77% of Americans age six and over took part in at least one activity that left 64 million people who are inactive. Over 50% of Americans either take part in no activities at all or are infrequent participants.
“While it is certainly encouraging to see an increase in participation in some important recreation categories, more must be done to help youth reclaim, redefine and rediscover the outdoors,” continued Fanning, noting that it's been four years since Richard Louv's seminal book “Last Child in the Woods” was published.
“Our new program, Outdoor Nation, and our first Youth Summit in New York in June is a way for CEOs to start thinking about investing in the next generation of outdoor industry executives and launching programs to support youth in the outdoors.”
>>> A copy of the 2010 Outdoor Recreation Participation Topline Report along with the 2009 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report can be downloaded from Outdoor Foundation website at www.outdoorfoundation.org/research…
