China eases rules for motorhomes and caravans

China's State Council circulated a notice from ten departments, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, on measures to boost motorhome consumption. The document optimizes registration, scrappage and driver training. For small and micro non-commercial motorhomes, the mandatory retirement age is removed, aligning their service life with that of passenger cars. For rental small and micro motorhomes, the service life is extended from 15 to 25 years, and for caravans from 15 to 20 years.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and nine other central government departments, with State Council approval, issued a guideline to develop motorhome tourism and unlock consumption in the sector. The measures cover the entire industry chain, from manufacturing and registration to parking, campgrounds, rentals, insurance and tourism promotion. The service life for small and mini self-propelled motorhomes used for rental is extended from 15 to 25 years; for caravan trailers, from 15 to 20 years. Regions are encouraged to develop motorhome routes, build centralized parking areas and equip parking lots with water, charging and sewage disposal services.

The State Council General Office circulated a notice from ten departments, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, supporting consumption related to motorhomes. Travel companies are encouraged to bundle motorhome sales, rentals and trip services into customised products, and to develop scenic driving routes with parking and camping areas. Local support measures such as campsite construction, road infrastructure and consumer subsidies are expected. Analysts say the policy is positive in the long term for motorhome manufacturers, parts suppliers and the camping tourism sector, but given the small market size, the short-term effect is likely limited to investor interest.

China's Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued guidelines to optimize resource allocation for tourism development. Under the document, simple motorhome campsites offering pitches, water, electricity and waste disposal can be managed under existing land categories if they do not affect tree growth or use hard surfacing. Service areas and rest stops may also be placed outside urban development boundaries. In June, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported that self-driving trips accounted for 77.4% of all tourist travel. The country currently has 28 5C-grade and 51 4C-grade high-quality motorhome campsites.

Sales of motorhomes in China exceeded 20,000 units for the first time in 2025, according to the annual development report by the CAAM motorhome branch. Sales of short-distance camping vehicles rose 85.61% year-on-year, while sales of new energy motorhomes for long-distance travel surged 229%. In the first half of 2026, cumulative registrations of motorhomes in China surpassed 12,000 units, up 32.6% from the same period last year. In Yizheng city, Jiangsu province, the local government allocated 5 million yuan in subsidies in 2025, offering between several thousand and up to 20,000 yuan per motorhome purchase, which led to about 500 sales and generated over 100 million yuan in related consumption. According to CAAM, there are currently over 3,100 motorhome campsites across China. In June 2026, China's Ministry of Commerce and eight other departments issued a notice outlining measures to support the development of the motorhome camping industry.

Chinese outlet Sina published a review of two three-day loop routes for motorhomes tested in summer 2026. The Beijing suburbs route (Fangshan, Yanqing, Huairou) has a budget of 3000–5000 yuan, total distance about 200 km, daily driving 1–1.5 hours and temperatures of 20–25°C; the Bashang grasslands route costs 4000–6000 yuan, covers about 300 km, with daily driving 2–2.5 hours and temperatures of 16–24°C, dropping to 8–10°C at night. The suburbs route offers free water access and dense campsites, while the grasslands route charges entry to Baili Tianlu scenic area (about 120 yuan per vehicle) and Qiansongba forest park (about 80 yuan per person), with no shops along the way. Both routes are designed for families and groups of 2–4 people.