Researching my market size?

Have you tried doing a google search with the following modifiers

filetype:pdf or filetype:ppt

As well as using blogsearch.google.com. Both throw up relevant links and files when you use the outdoor and travel key words.

A third option would be to buy an HBS case on the subject by doing a keyword search on the HBS Publishing site. Cases cost anywhere from 1 to 9 dollars depending on your status as a academic.

A fourth option would be to do a key word search on news.google.com. A fifth would be to post your question on linkedin answers.

Best of luck

I have tried a combination of all of the above in the past and they to generate a reasonable amount of information.

Understand the major players, find out their revenue and add them all up. For example, I just googled 'North Face market share' and found a slidepack that mentions some market share statistics and competitors. Ok this particular slidepack is geared towards marathon runners and that niche market but you can see how you might glean more information by digging a bit deeper.

Once you have a list of the major players that operate in your market, get their annual reports and find out how much they are making. Often in their annual reports they will boast about how much market share they have (and let you know what they think the market size is).

In terms of travel ad spend, here is a piece on advertising spend in the UK for 2010. Access to the research is for members only but there is some nice information in the article here: Adspend breaks £4bn.

If you've got a little bit of cash it seems these guys will be happy to sell you the info: http://www.leisuretrends.com/

Seems to be USD375 for a yearly market report

Some options:

Take a look at all the brands of outdoor gear you sell on the site. Search out every other major brand that perhaps you don't carry in stock.

Search EDGAR (the SEC's database of listed company filings) and pull up the annual reports of those companies. These will also be available in the investor relations section of the corporate websites.

Read all the Management Discussion and Analysis sections. Take a look at the market trends that they discuss. That may yield something.

If you have a brokerage account, see if your broker offers free equity research reports as part of their service. Search for those same company names. See what the equity research guys are saying about the industry.

This is tough, I struggle with this myself. One thing you can do is look into trade associations around companies who provide services, products and merchandise for people who are outdoorsmen or like to travel.

These trade associations will put out yearly conferences and market research reports every year or every other year to talk about challenges, the market, where its going, what people are looking for, etc.

It's great info but can also be expensive (in the $1K+). But information is invaluable and if your company/website is already making money, it may be a good investment. And again, information is what you can glean from it and what you end up doing with it.

Cannot speak for the actual market size but Definitely there is market .. I had once worked as a consultant for a startup during the dot come era prior the bubble burst for a Funded comapny - beoutdoors.com which covered all outdoor sports and cataloged all outdoor gear. They spent a lot of money, giving out 500k hats etc.., application servers , advertising , and eventually closed . (Out of LA )

Good luck