HONG KONG MAY be a crowded, concrete city but it is also a place where one is never very far from the mountains or sea. This makes the city a great place for work and play and there are many outdoor activities within easy reach.
Whether one likes hiking or climbing, cycling or sailing, one needs appropriate clothing or equipment for such activities. Indeed, a large population and rugged terrain make for a thriving local industry in the manufacture and retail of outdoor gear.
In Hong Kong, outdoor sports are booming. For those whose business involves serving the outdoor market, things are about to get better. The government's proposed change to a five-day working week offers great potential.
'We're expecting a mini-explosion in demand for outdoor gear in Hong Kong as the five-day week kicks in,' said Richard Beck, Asia-Pacific sales director for WL Gore & Associates, a creative technologies company best known for its Gore-Tex brand of outdoor fabrics and products.
'The [South] Korean government did the same last year and this immediately added 2 million consumers to our market, so we expect to see a similar trend here.'
Another factor that is also helping growth in this sector is the rising number of consumers who are becoming aware of healthy living.