RV Tourism Gaining Momentum For Chinese Tourists At Home And Abroad

Both within Mainland China and abroad, the Chinese are more often turning to road trips to get the most out of a personalised holiday. Whilst China’s ‘Route 66’ – the 3,900 km Highway 109 that links Beijing and Lhasa has been promoted by General Motors’ Cadillac brand, Chinese RV enthusiasts are let down by the lack of decent RV campgrounds at home. According to Hu Jingmei, the China representative of the International Federation of Camping, Caravanning and Autocaravanning, even the few existing campgrounds in Mainland China ‘’do not have complete support facilities.’’ As a result, holidays in countries well adapted to road trippers, such as the United States and Australia, have become very attractive. In a bid to keep up with these countries, the Chinese government has announced that it wants to build up to 2,000 campgrounds by the end of 2020, according to Craig Kirby, senior vice president of government relations and general counsel of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.

For those Chinese tourists who can afford to holiday abroad, self-drive travel is increasingly providing the best of both worlds, allowing for a personalised and packed itinerary with many destinations, yet without ‘forced shopping’ or unwanted stops along the way, as is often the case with group tours. The United States is the number one destination in the world for self-drive tourists, with its numerous sights and variety of scenic landscapes and major cities connected by its famous interstate highways and roads. The 10-year visa program for Chinese tourists introduced in 2015 by the United States has meant Chinese tourists are able to make and plan return visits to explore what the country has to offer in different ways. Self-drive tourism is, for many returnees, a fantastic way to explore the United States beyond the beaten track. Thanks to agreements between Chinese tourism companies such as Ctrip, and car and RV rental companies in the United States, it is not difficult for Chinese visitors to book their vehicle of choice prior to departure. Similarly, Australia has a wealth of national parks and a well-established camping culture of which Chinese tourists may take advantage.

COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute provides expert insights into the worldwide developments of China’s outbound tourism market. As Chinese outbound tourists are travelling to a large range of destinations, our publications cover a number of regions, providing detailed insights and analysing visitor behaviour.

With COTRI’s insights you can forge a successful business strategy built upon in-depth market expertise, comprehensive qualitative analysis and future projections. The Autumn 2016 Edition of the COTRI Market report features in-depth exploration of the developing trends in the field, supported by a wealth of qualitative and quantitative statistical research.

Sources: Travel CNN, US Press From, Jing Daily.

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