SEOUL, KOREA - As more and more families enjoy outdoor activities in mountains and parks, imports of camping supplies such as tents, sleeping bags, and inflatable mattress have increased rapidly.

 

According to figures released by the Korea Customs Service on June 26, the import volume of tents alone for the five-month period between January and May this year was US$47,258,000, up 109.9 percent from the same period last year of $22,517,000. Meanwhile, the import amount of canopies has also risen 106.1 percent to $3,916,000.

 

The volume of imports for sleeping bags and inflatable mattresses increased 77.1 and 178.8 percent to $5,974,000 and $1,297,000, respectively, from a year ago.

 

As camping supply imports rose, the country of origin has changed as well. Last year China accounted for as much as 87 percent of tent imports, but for the first five months of this year the share declined to 74 percent. Instead the remaining shares were filled by imports from Vietnam and Bangladesh whose import shares rose to 13 and 9 percent from 4 and 4 percent respectively.

 

Yang Seung-kwon, Korea Customs Service manager responsible for customs clearance, said, "In the months ahead during the summer, the imports of camping gear will rise further."