The 2018 China Sports and Recreation Conference is held in Ninghai county, Ningbo, on Dec 19. [Photo/zj.zjol.com] 

A conference for boosting the rural economy through sports was held in Ninghai county, Ningbo, on Dec 19. 

The China Sports and Recreation Conference, having been held in the county for nine years, was attended by nearly 300 scholars, officials and businessmen from across the country.

They discussed the important role of the sports industry in revitalizing the rural economy and ways of promoting deeper integration between them. 

In addition, five projects worth 2 billion yuan ($300 million) were signed at the conference, including the building of an outdoor sports complex, an equestrian center, and an RV campground.

Ninghai county has been committed to developing a national outdoor sports hub over the years and has seen remarkable growth in its sports industry. 

The output of the county's sports industry totaled 5.2 billion yuan in 2017, accounting for 2.3 percent of the county's GDP. It is expected to realize a growth of 20 percent this year.