Local retailers are seeing a sharp rise in sales of camping gear such as tents, outdoor table sets and cookware thanks to the five-day school weeks and the early arrival of summer.

All primary and secondary schools across the nation adopted the five-day school week starting in March, allowing a greater number of families to go on weekend camping trips.

With the temperatures hitting near 30 degrees Celsius, major retailers have already begun special sales promotions for camping equipment, which they used to hold around June in previous years.

Lotte Department Store Co. is selling camping gear at discount prices for two weeks starting this Thursday in all of its branches.

Camping supplies account for nearly 10 percent of Lotte Department Store’s total sales of outdoor brands.

Discount store chains E-Mart, Lotte Mart and Homeplus held special sale events for camping and outdoor equipment from May 10 through 16, a month earlier than usual.

E-Mart said its sales of camping and hiking gear in March and April soared 141 percent year-on-year.

“Only camping enthusiasts used to buy camping gear in the past, but we are now seeing a greater demand from families due to the five-day school weeks,” an E-Mart official said.

“We held our special sale event a month earlier than usual since camping sites across the country have begun to open already.”

Sales of camping supplies also shot up in Internet shopping malls.

Online shopping mall Interpark said its sales of camping gear in the first 10 days of May jumped 48 percent from a year ago.

“The number of camping gear items and their sales showed explosive growth with the rapid increase of campers,” said an official at Interpark.

Another online shopping site 11st said its sales of camping supplies in March and April surged 89 percent year-on-year.

Korea’s camping population is estimated at around a million, a five-fold increase over the past two to three years.

The nation’s camping gear market is expected to top 400 billion won this year as outdoor brands are competitively launching new products, according to industry insiders.

With new camping sites springing up like mushrooms after rain nationwide, market watchers expect the growth in demand for camping gear to continue.

There are more than 500 camping sites in Korea, five of which are in Seoul ― Nanji, Noeul, Jungnang, Gangdong Greenway and the Seoul Grand Park. The government has opened several camping sites along the four rivers of Han, Geum, Yeongsan and Nakdong, and plans to build more.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)