BEIJING (SCMP): Fitness-friendly young Chinese travellers are turning to a new trend known as “sportcation” which blends physical health with leisure.
Health conscious tourists are spending 20,000 yuan (US$2,800) not to relax, but to endure military-style tennis camps, turning the romantic island of Bali into a gruelling Indonesian sporting getaway.
In the trend, which as the name suggests blends sport and holiday, physical activity becomes the central focus of travel.
Instead of sightseeing or lounging on the beach, Chinese travellers are choosing to “sweat it out” through intensive training activities such as diving, skydiving, skiing and cycling.
Yiqian, 18, said that during China’s National Day holiday in 2025, he signed up for a seven-day, six-night tennis boot camp in Bali.
He spent more than 20,000 yuan, including the airfare and camp fees.
For Yiqian, it was both a holiday and a training mission: his itinerary focused on training with curated local experiences and scenic exploration.
These tennis camps are typically small and boutique-style.
His group consisted of just eight people, three men and five women, with a different professional coach leading the training each day.
The week-long schedule was tightly structured: morning sessions began at 9am with three hours of tennis, while afternoons were reserved for exploring Bali, enjoying the local cuisine and having massages.
Evenings offered optional match play for those who still had the energy.
According to a report by 36kr, sports holidays are gaining momentum, driven largely by the growing popularity of tennis among young people, which has led many travellers to seek out tennis-themed getaways.
By 2025, the number of registered standard outdoor and indoor tennis courts in China exceeded 47,000, a 39.6 per cent increase from 2020.
As of 2024, China’s tennis-playing population has reached about 25.19 million, a 28 per cent jump from 2021.
“In the past, most of our clients were born in the 1980s, but more young people born in the 1990s and 2000s have started joining us,” said Lohas, a tennis holiday camp operator.
Since the beginning of 2024, Lohas has been scouting venues in Bali and she has been organising three to five small-group tennis retreats every month.
Beyond tennis, Bali’s surf culture has long been part of the island’s vibrant lifestyle for sportcations.
Combined with activities like yoga, meditation and CrossFit, it continues to attract a growing number of young Chinese travellers.
In Canggu, free morning running groups gather almost daily.
Around 7am, people meet in front of coffee shops, warm up under the guidance of professional coaches and then set off into the sunrise.
The trend sparked lively online discussion among Chinese netizens.
One person said: “This kind of travel that involves working out while on holiday might just become the next big thing, but it really takes some self-discipline and courage.” -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
