Snorkeling products, for example, have noticeably shifted toward more female-oriented designs, said Liang, adding that the market change has driven adjustments in the company's research and development of new products.
When developing entry-level products, the company's focus is on making it easier and more enjoyable for female participants to get started, ensuring they can take selfies and share plenty of photos.
"It helps female beginners have fun and develop an interest in such sports," he said.
Additionally, when developing professional products, the company categorizes them based on usage scenarios — such as for competition, personal improvement and training.
"We usually develop three to four parallel product lines to cater to these different needs," he said.
More importantly, environmentally friendly designs have become priorities in the development of new products.
"Making green products is a form of visual transformation that allows customers to easily see and feel the concept of caring for the ocean and the environment," he said.
The fair aligns with new trends in foreign trade, with 64 percent of the 32,000 participating companies utilizing new technologies such as artificial intelligence and industrial internet to develop new and green products, according to the organizers.
The proportion of new and green products exhibited reached 23.2 percent and 26 percent, respectively, both setting records, the organizers said.
"We are currently exploring how to integrate AI into our products, aiming to make them more competitive in the global market," Liang said.
The company, which has two manufacturing bases in Huadu district of Guangzhou, and Qingyuan in northern Guangdong, aims to develop valuable and affordable sports products to bring to the market, with the goal of launching a product with AI capabilities by 2028.
"The fair brought us clients from various countries, including some lesser-known island nations, providing many new opportunities in business expansion in the global market," he said.
Liang believes the global water sports industry is definitely on an upward trajectory. "Healthy living has become a lifestyle, as the new generation wants to enjoy their weekends, engage in sports, and spend time at the beach and swimming," he said.
Like Liang's company, an increasing number of Chinese exporters have prioritized development of new, green and innovative products to tap more business opportunities globally.
The fair, which concluded its 140th session on Nov 4 and marked its 70th anniversary, highlighted this trend as it highly features innovation, intelligence, greater specialization and higher quality.
