China's sports industry enjoys resurgent 2023 as companies cater to increasingly sophisticated market

China's sports industry continued to thrive in 2023 amid an increased focus on personalized services and a boom in both elite and grassroots events.

A notable trend at this year's China International Sporting Goods Expo was that a growing number of domestic businesses have shifted their focus from manufacturing and selling sports equipment to providing comprehensive services to a wide range of customers, from schools to clubs and communities.

Personalized services, as well as the integration of user demographics and usage scenarios, have been given greater consideration.

"Fitness is a personalized activity, so there is a huge market. Personalized services will be a driving force of the sports goods industry," said Luo Jie, vice-president and secretary-general of the China Sporting Goods Association.

Many companies are accelerating their transformation and upgrading efforts to broaden their market prospects, he added.