Market Size and Growth Trends of the Travel Luggage and Backpack Industry

 

Market Size and Growth Trends of the Travel Luggage and Backpack Industry

 

With the full recovery of global tourism and consumption upgrading, the travel luggage and backpack industry is undergoing significant structural growth. According to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the number of global international tourists reached 1.4 billion in 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels, with tourist spending increasing by 3% year-on-year to $1.6 trillion. The Chinese market has been particularly outstanding: the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's 2024 Statistical Bulletin on Cultural and Tourism Development shows that domestic tourist trips reached 5.62 billion, a year-on-year increase of 14.8%, with total tourism spending reaching 5.8 trillion yuan, an increase of 17.1%. This trend has directly boosted demand for travel equipment, bringing new development opportunities to the travel luggage and backpack market.

 I. Sustained Market Expansion with Outstanding Performance in Segments

The global luggage market has shown steady growth, with a market size of approximately $187.6 billion in 2024, of which travel luggage and backpacks are the fastest-growing categories. Specifically:

 

Travel Luggage Market:

 

The global travel luggage market was valued at approximately $58 billion in 2023. It is projected that the Chinese travel luggage market will exceed 150 billion yuan by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3%. The annual growth rate for luggage is expected to reach 12%, with 20-24 inch specifications accounting for over 60%. The average weight has decreased by 12% compared to 2019. Carry on bag and luggage sets are among the most popular products in this segment.

 

Backpack Market:

 

The global backpack market is estimated to be worth $18.19 billion in 2024, expected to grow to $19.41 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 6.87%. The popularity of short-distance travel has driven sales of small travel backpack, multifunctional crossbody bags, and travel rucksack. In 2024, domestic sales of backpacks, including laptop backpack, kids backpacks, and backpack for women, increased by 15% year-on-year.

 

As the world's largest luggage producer and exporter, China exported 3.62 million tons of luggage from January to December 2024, a year-on-year increase of 9.2%, with an export value of $34.541 billion. The domestic market is equally active: the luggage market reached 31 billion yuan in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 17%, and is expected to maintain a CAGR of 8.9% over the next five years.

 II. Demand Growth Driven by Tourism Recovery and Consumption Upgrading

The full recovery of tourism is the core driver of market growth. In 2024, domestic tourist trips increased by 724 million year-on-year, equivalent to the population of a medium-sized country. Frequent travel activities have directly increased the replacement frequency of travel luggage and backpacks: Chinese consumers replace luggage every 1.5-2 years on average, and backpacks every 1-1.5 years. Additionally, the rising proportion of independent travel has boosted demand for lightweight, large-capacity luggage, while the popularity of short-distance travel has driven growth in the backpack market, where travel rucksack and backpack for women are particularly favored.

 

Adjustments to airline baggage policies have further influenced market trends. Most airlines have tightened free checked baggage allowances, with economy class passengers typically only permitted to carry one piece of hand luggage not exceeding 7 kg. This policy has prompted consumers to choose lighter, size-compliant luggage, such as carry on bag and luggage sets. Meanwhile, backpacks, including travel backpack and laptop backpack, have become the for short-distance travel due to their portability and flexible capacity, with online sales of backpacks accounting for 45% of the domestic market in 2024, an 8-percentage-point increase year-on-year.

III. Consumption Trends and Industrial Upgrades: Environmental Protection, Intelligence, and Personalization

 

1. Accelerated Application of Eco-Friendly Materials

Consumer demand for sustainable products has increased significantly, with sales of luggage and backpacks using eco-friendly materials rising by 22% in 2024. Recycled polyester fiber, vegetable-tanned leather, and other materials are most widely used. Chinese luggage enterprises have actively responded to this trend, with the proportion of eco-friendly materials in export products increasing from 18% in 2020 to 31% in 2024. Stringent environmental regulations in markets such as the EU and North America, such as the EU's REACH regulations on chemical substances, have pushed enterprises to accelerate their green transformation.

 

 2. Intelligence as a Focus of Innovation

Smart luggage with electronic locks, weighing functions, and GPS positioning, as well as backpacks integrated with solar charging panels (such as laptop backpack), are popular among young consumers. The global smart luggage and backpack market reached $4.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to exceed $7 billion by 2026. Domestic brands like 90分 and Xiaomi's ecosystem companies have rapidly captured market share through cost-effective smart products, with online sales increasing by 40% in 2024.

 

 3. Popularization of Personalized Customization Services

Consumers no longer satisfy with standardized products but pursue unique designs. Enterprises meet diverse needs by offering customization options for colors, patterns, engravings, and modular accessories (such as detachable compartments and replaceable shoulder straps). In 2024, the domestic customized luggage market reached 8.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 28%, with travel luggage, travel backpack, backpack for women, and kids backpacks accounting for over 60%.

 IV. Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite the broad market prospects, the industry faces multiple challenges. Global economic uncertainties have caused fluctuations in consumer demand, with the export prices of Chinese luggage (including luggage sets, carry on bag, and men's travel bag) decreasing by 9.8% year-on-year in 2024, reflecting intensified international competition. Rising raw material prices (such as ABS plastic and aluminum alloy) have squeezed corporate profit margins, putting pressure on the survival of some small and medium-sized enterprises. Additionally, the rise of online sales channels has impacted traditional retail models, with online sales accounting for 45% of luggage and backpack sales in 2024, an 8-percentage-point increase year-on-year.

 

In the future, the industry will exhibit three major trends: first, technology-driven innovation, such as the application of IoT and blockchain in luggage tracking and anti-counterfeiting; second, the construction of green supply chains, with sustainability throughout the entire chain from raw material procurement to production; third, a combination of globalization and localization, requiring enterprises to adjust product strategies according to different market demands. For example, Southeast Asian markets prefer cost-effective products like travel rucksack and men's travel bag, while European and American markets prioritize brand and design.

 

The prosperity of the tourism industry has injected strong momentum into the travel luggage and backpack market, while consumption upgrading and technological innovation provide sustained energy. As the global tourism market further recovers, this sector will continue to demonstrate robust vitality, while also placing higher demands on enterprises' innovation capabilities and market adaptability.