In China as elsewhere, yacht buyers tend to be affluent company owners, the so-called rich second generation, she said. They buy yachts to entertain their customers or show off their wealth.
But most kayak users are young people who love outdoor activities. "As passion for sports and health rises among the Chinese, the number of kayak users will likely rise. Now is the time to invest in this sector," said Mei.
She may well have a point. This year's boat show saw a number of inflatable boats. Bigger ones (length: 3.6 meters; width: 1.74 meters) retail for about 7,000 yuan each.
Weihai Noah Yacht Co Ltd participated in this year's boat show and demonstrated its inflatable boats. According to Gao Wei, sales manager of the company, outdoor activities such as weekend fun on inflatable boats represent a "cool and chic" lifestyle.
And they present a good business opportunity, you may want to add. Weihai Noah Yacht's 2015 turnover rose 30 percent on the back of robust domestic sales, a contrast to the past when exports reigned supreme.
"For some of our inflatable boats, the bottom is made up of three aluminum alloy boards. The body of the boat is inflatable. Therefore, the user can easily pack the boat in the trunk or into a fishing bag. Most of our users have bought it for the purpose of fishing. Unlike the bigger boats, the most attractive point of inflatable boats is the price. Of course, there is no trouble of maintenance or management," she said.
Apart from water sports, inflatable boats are used as lifesaving equipment by rescue teams, given their suitability for narrow waters and low price, said Gao.
To cater to Chinese consumers' increasing demand for affordable water recreation facilities, the organizer of the boat show, Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co, has created an outdoor experience area.
Interested consumers can try out kayaks and inflatable boats before buying. Gao Haiyan, director of the high-end business department of the exhibition company, said the boat show's objective is to introduce healthy lifestyle options like boating to Shanghai. The idea is not to hype up luxury.
Yang Xinfa, deputy secretary-general of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry, said the event demonstrates water-based recreation as part of modern lifestyle. The focus is not on mere display of yachts and other water sports equipment. "We should fully recognize the fact that Chinese consumers can now enjoy the same quality of life as people in developed countries."
The spillover effect of all this is that even luxury yacht companies are celebrating the advent of affordable water recreational facilities in China. In the yacht industry, about 2 percent of the existing boats are luxury yachts.
Chen Gang, chief representative of Italian luxury yacht company Ferretti in Shanghai, said he would like to see that ratio dropping further in the Chinese market. Only then, every brand would be able to see better growth, helping the overall industry to post a healthy growth rate as well.
