People "Spending on their Passions" Leisure Trends Group Outdoor RetailTRAK™ Survey Says.

(Dive Travel Business News - October 22, 2011) -- Preliminary Outdoor RetailTRAK™ data from Leisure Trends Group report that core outdoor retail sales totaled approximately $462M this September, a full $62M more dollars and a solid 17% increase over September 2010.

"This is the strongest September on record since Leisure Trends Group began tracking Outdoor Sales in 1998" states Senior Retail Analyst, Scott Jaeger, who has been with the firm since 1999.

Outdoor chain stores, with over $213M in sales surged a healthy 18% and specialty stores, jumping 20% to roughly $163M in retail sales, had their best September in at least a decade. Online retailers, growing 10%, sold nearly $86M worth of outdoor products this September.

Easily outpacing "a better-than-expected" 5.7% increase for retail sales as reported by the National Retail Federation , the 17% September surge for outdoor retailers point to a committed constituency of outdoor participants and shoppers undeterred by still uncertain economic conditions. 

"As we have seen over the past several years in both our consumer studies and the retail tracking numbers, consumers will spend on their passions, even in uncertain and difficult economic times," states Jaeger. Jaeger continues "Most Active Americans recently shared with us their current attitudes towards their favorite outdoor recreational activities and the products they buy to do those activities, and the following quotes sum up this willingness to spend on what matters."

QUOTES FROM ACTIVE OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS*:

• "These are the things that bring our family and friends together. They are very important to us."
• "My sports are not a luxury, they are a necessity. They keep me healthy, both physically & mentally, make me more effective & competitive at my work, and improve my family relationships."
• "I am so pumped to be able to actually spend a little bit more money this winter on my favorite gear."

* Quotes from Active Americans,  July 2011,  on Leisure Trends Group's exclusive Most Active Americans consumer research Panel(MAAP)™

The strong Back-to-School retail sales bode well for the upcoming holiday season as do the results of recent consumer research. "Leisure Trends just polled over 3,100 Active Americans to uncover their shopping plans for the Holidays", adds Jaeger, "and planned household spending on sports and recreation products and services is $584, up from $526 last year."

Leisure Trends Group is the leading provider of consumer research, retail market intelligence (retail sales tracking) and integrated CRM/Direct Marketing services for the sports, recreation, hospitality, travel and entertainment industries. Suppliers, retailers, associations, resorts and financial analysts rely on Leisure Trends Group for actionable consumer insights, accurate retail sales data that includes margins and inventory, and innovative targeted marketing solutions. Leisure Trends Group is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. For more information, contact Julia Day, 303-786-7900 x107 or visit www.leisuretrends.com.

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