Covid-19’s impact on our world has been unprecedented in so many ways. While there’s plenty of bad news from this pandemic, there’s also some good news that came out of it—millions of people have rediscovered nature and the outdoors.

Because of social distancing, stay-near-home guidelines and simply to avoid going stir-crazy, folks have been getting outside in record numbers over the past year. That’s continued into 2021 and, if current stats have anything to say about it, won’t stop in the next few months.

The paddling industry and many other outdoor niches have exploded in popularity because of this...

...The number of people introduced to paddling for the first time has been extremely high. Individuals, couples and families have all discovered this new way to get outside that’s fun and has built-in social distancing.

The thing that’s been most exciting for the industry is that the small specialty retailers—the brick-and-mortar Mom-and-Pop shops—have experienced new life because of the pandemic. They had more new paddlers and enthusiasts come into their shops than they’ve had in years. Having healthy specialty shops is very good for the longevity of an industry. They’re the backbone of education, training and service.

We also saw a shift in consumers wanting to shop online more, especially when their local retailers were still closed or if these shops didn’t have the desired paddles in stock. Many of these consumers are going directly to the brands with their questions.

Taken from an Aquabound blog, read the entire article at https://aquabound.com/blogs/resources/how-covid-has-impacted-the-paddlesports-industry