Liu Minxia mllmx@msn.com THE remarkable performances of athletes at the Paris Games have ignited a widespread passion for sports among the Chinese, resulting in significant increases in online searches for various sports venues nationwide. Meituan data indicates that in July, searches for “sports” surged by 180% compared to the previous month across China. Since the start of the Olympics, archery, indoor surfing, and rock climbing have emerged as the most searched activities by users, Meituan said yesterday. Among these, online orders for ball games have seen a particular rapid increase. “During the noon break these days, I head straight to the court with my colleagues to enjoy sports,” said office worker Guo Chun. The widespread passion for sports has made activities like badminton essential for socializing, Guo said. Since the beginning of July, Meituan has observed a 90% year-on-year surge in orders for badminton, with a remarkable growth rate of 135% in Shanghai alone. Fueled by the trending news of Zheng Qinwen’s victory and growth trajectory, tennis classes have experienced a significant surge, with group orders related to tennis sports increasing by 172% year on year, Meituan said. Searches for swimming venues rose by 30% nationwide in July, while searches for fitness facilities surged by 128%. Niche sports such as hip-hop dancing and indoor rock climbing are also gaining popularity. Shanghai’s 55-meter-tall New World City Climbing Wall, the world’s tallest climbing wall upon its 2019 opening, reported a record number of climbers in July, with consumers aged 20-35 particularly interested in these trendy sports and sports-related social events, it said. Driven by the Olympic fervor, public enthusiasm for sports has continued to rise this month. The flourishing sports consumption, represented by sports tourism, skiing, and gym training classes, has become a new economic hotspot, injecting fresh vitality into the consumer market, experts say. | 