"It's My Cozy Home": The Chinese Trend That Has Millennials & Gen Z Opening Their Wallets

More Than 90% of National Day Holiday Travelers Choose Self-Driving Trips
Rising Number of Gen Z Purchasing Camper Vans
Camper Van Sales Surpass 1.2 Million Units in First Half of Year

The number of Millennials & Gen Z in China who are traveling by purchasing or renting RVs is rapidly increasing.

Photo to aid understanding of the article. Chinese travelers living in a campervan. Xiaohongshu, China.

On October 6, China Central Television (CCTV) reported, "During the Golden Week holiday, which is the country's largest holiday, more than 90% of all road travel consists of self-driving trips using private cars or camper vans."

Rising Number of Millennials & Gen Z Using and Purchasing RVs

Photo to aid understanding of the article. Xiaohongshu, China.

In the past, RV rentals were mostly used by older generations, but demand among Millennials & Gen Z (those born from the late 1990s to early 2010s) has surged in recent years. With more people opting for nationwide long-distance travel instead of just short getaways near the city, the RV rental market has seen a significant boom during the holiday season. At one rental outlet in Hangzhou, all over 100 available vehicles were fully booked even before the holiday began.

Photo to help understand the article. Chinese travelers living in a campervan. China Xiaohongshu.

Ms. Qian, who rented an RV, said, "There is no need to rush for hotel check-out times, and it's convenient and free because you can take care of meals and accommodation in the car." She added, "Privacy is also well protected, making it much better for traveling with parents or children." On Chinese social networking services (SNS), there is an abundance of content from families traveling by camper on weekends or holidays, as well as young people spending alone time in camper vans. There is a growing amount of posts and videos sharing not just tips on decorating the interiors, but also advice for relaxing inside and cooking recipes for the camper lifestyle.

From Rental to Ownership... Government Support on the Rise

Photo to help understand the article. A Chinese Gen Z resting in a campervan during the National Day holiday. Xiaohongshu, China.

Recently, more consumers have been choosing to buy RVs themselves. Sales have been steadily increasing, and eco-friendly new energy (electric and hybrid) campers have emerged as a new growth engine in the market. One dealer reported a 30% increase in RV sales compared to the same period last year, with new energy vehicles accounting for 25% of total RV sales.

According to data on RVs from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, sales topped 20,000 units last year. Cumulative RV sales in the first half of this year have already surpassed 1.2 million units, up 32.6% from the same period last year.

As the Chinese government has recently concentrated on stimulus measures to boost domestic consumption, related government agencies such as the Ministry of Commerce are rolling out a series of policies to support industries including automobile tuning, RVs, and car rentals. Last month, 10 ministries, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, jointly announced "Measures to Promote RV Consumption," which include comprehensive support for industry growth—from quality improvement of RVs to road access and parking space expansion, and the development of campground infrastructure.

Industry experts in China expect that, driven by surging travel demand during the Golden Week and favorable government policies, RV sales this year will hit an all-time high.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.