The road to adventure

Policy and facilities

Van life has taken the world by storm. Forbes magazine dubbed 2020 as "The Year of RV Travel". In the United States, RV ownership is at a record high with 11.2 million households owning an RV last year, up 62 percent over 6.9 million households in 2001.

The figures indicate that there is still plenty of room for growth in China with a population of about 1.4 billion.

In December, the Ministry of Public Security amended the country's driver's license regulation, introducing the C6 license, specifically for those who are authorized to tow trailers. The regulation became effective on April 1.

Industry insiders take it as a clear sign that China is aiming to legitimize the industry and giving a nod to the growing recreational vehicle market.

Before the new C6 license, many travel trailers were used for destination camping in rented sites.

A lack of these sites is preventing even further growth. According to 21RV's data, as of December, there were 1,063 campsites across the country, with only 500 of them offering water and electricity for vehicles.

Liu Hongjia agrees that finding a decent campsite has not been easy.

"Even if there is a campsite, the price for a vehicle costs more than most of us expect, ranging from 150 to 300 yuan per day," he says, adding that, most of the time, they will find a parking lot in a scenic spot or a highway rest area, where they can get water and even electricity.

Liu Yuxi does admit that the infrastructure in the sector has expanded rapidly, though there is more to be done.

"When we traveled in Xinjiang and Tibet, the parking lots of most scenic spots have been quite large, with really good toilets providing hot water," she says, adding that some even have charging stations.

According to the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), China will promote the development of the RV and campground sector and launch a batch of self-driving routes for RV travelers.

"In three to five years, RV travelers will have a better experience on the road," she says.