Chinese retirees become main buyers of motorhomes

China's State Council has circulated a notice from 10 departments, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, on measures to boost motorhome consumption. The document calls for expanding motorhome campgrounds, running consumption promotion campaigns and supporting new formats such as motorhome camping. Against this backdrop, a motorhome music carnival will be held on October 5–6 in Putuo District, Shanghai, at an outdoor lawn on Dunhuang Road 9, featuring nearly 100 motorhomes available for camping — double last year's number. Danish camping equipment brand Isabella, founded in 1957, will showcase its products, and talks are underway with Taopu Town to build a motorhome campground of over 3,000 square meters.

China's State Council forwarded measures to boost motorhome consumption, drafted by ten departments including the National Financial Regulatory Administration. The document calls for improving financial products and services, reducing operating costs for motorhome rental and campground operators, and directing insurers to develop policies covering various consumption scenarios, including baggage and onboard property insurance, with reasonably set premiums. It also aims to improve the motorhome insurance service system and enhance emergency rescue and rapid claims settlement.

On September 20, the Qiyu Mangrove Eco Motorhome Campsite, the first motorhome campsite on the 100-km mountain-sea cycling route in Nansha, Guangzhou, began trial operation in Wanqingsha Town. The campsite uses a motorhome rental model and is located on a former seedling nursery site without soil hardening. The opening follows a recent joint policy by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and nine other departments introducing nine measures to boost motorhome consumption. About 100 people attended the opening day.

The 2026 Yangtze River Delta Motorhome Rally and Sports Leisure Experience Season (Hanshan stop) took place from September 18 to 20, with 100 motorhomes starting from Lingjiatan Cultural and Creative Block, passing through Yuncao Ancient Town, Dayutan Wetland Park, and Baochanshan Scenic Area, ending at Liuhe Stone Tribe, covering a 99-km route. Co-organized by the sports bureaus of Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui, the event has been held for 12 sessions since 2014, with the first motorhome rally held in Anqing in 2022. Hanshan stop featured side events such as a short-video contest and a sports-themed carnival, along with local food and product markets, aiming to boost sports and cultural tourism and convert event traffic into consumer spending.

At Caravan Salon 2026 in Hall 11, Chinese manufacturer Lidu presented the compact Veteran 350 caravan. The model has a kerb weight of 730 kg and a permissible total weight of 750 kg, leaving just 20 kg of payload. It measures 505.5 cm long, 228 cm wide, 203 cm high, with 30 cm ground clearance, a 194×150 cm bed, and LT245/70 R17 tyres. Standard equipment includes a 100 Ah lithium battery, 2,000 W inverter, two folding tables, but no kitchen, bathroom, or water tank. Options include a 314 Ah battery, solar panel, full-size spare wheel, and corner steadies. Production began in January 2025 in Changshu, Jiangsu Province; European import is handled by Starlight B.V. from the Netherlands. Pricing was not disclosed.

A retiree surnamed Ding from Shenyang, after 40 years at a state-owned enterprise, is travelling north across China in a converted motorhome with his wife. At a campground in the Wudalianchi scenic area in Heilongjiang Province, staff connected a pipeline to the Wudalianchi mineral water source and provided water free of charge. The local culture and tourism department organised free performances at the campground, including Russian songs and dances, and volunteer Liu Fenghai screened the classic film 'Reconnaissance Across the Yangtze'.