China Issues Measures to Boost Recreational Vehicle Consumption and Camping

On September 13, 2026, the State Council General Office forwarded the Several Measures on Promoting Recreational Vehicle Consumption, issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Commerce, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the National Financial Regulatory Administration, as Guo Ban Han No. 82 of 2026. The measures aim to remove bottlenecks in recreational vehicle consumption, cultivate new business forms such as RV camping, unlock consumption potential, and better meet the people's growing needs for a better life. For the purposes of the document, recreational vehicles include motor caravans, towed caravans, and camping vehicles.

The measures call for improving the quality of RV supply. Enterprises are encouraged to develop and design products suited to consumer needs, enhance the experience and comfort of RVs, and meet diverse and personalized demand. The development of new energy RVs is encouraged to raise the level of intelligence and environmental performance. Standards for whole-vehicle safety and important system components will be studied and formulated at a faster pace, and support will be given to modifying and converting RVs, including energy storage and living facilities, to improve product safety and quality.

On optimizing RV registration, scrapping, and driver training and testing, the measures propose studying and revising the Road Traffic Management: Motor Vehicle Types standard and improving RV registration requirements. The scrapping age for RVs will be adjusted: small and micro non-commercial self-propelled RVs will follow the service life applicable to small and micro non-commercial passenger vehicles, with no mandatory scrapping age; the service life of rented small and micro self-propelled RVs will be extended from 15 years to 25 years; and the service life of towed caravans will be extended from 15 years to 20 years. Regions with the capacity to do so are encouraged to improve driver training services and add more C6 driving license test sites to make things easier for RV consumers.

The measures call for ensuring RV passage and parking. Local authorities are supported in refining urban road traffic management measures under the principle of classified management and in lawfully ensuring the normal passage of all types of RVs. Height restriction devices at major urban intersections and public parking lots should fully take into account the passage needs of RVs. Parking lots of all types should reasonably set RV parking service fees, and regions with the capacity to do so are supported in providing services such as parking information queries, parking space reservations, and mobile payments for RVs.

On strengthening RV campsite development, the measures propose coordinating and safeguarding space needs for RV campsites in territorial spatial planning and incorporating them into the "one map" of natural resources management and territorial spatial planning. Where an RV campsite is to be built in an area without detailed planning, the municipal or county natural resources authority may, on the premise of complying with farmland protection and ecological protection red line requirements, put forward a site selection opinion or a demonstration plan for planning conditions based on the overall territorial spatial plan and its control requirements, and after completing the corresponding approval or filing procedures, use it as the basis for issuing a site selection opinion or setting planning conditions. Simple RV campsites without hardened surfaces may be managed according to the original land category in accordance with the law. RV campsites that fall under the Catalogue of Land for Allocated Use may be supplied with land by allocation; for those that do not, operators are supported in obtaining land through long-term leases, lease-first-then-transfer, and other methods. Revitalizing inefficient and idle resources to build public RV campsites is encouraged, as is building RV campsites in qualified tourist attractions, tourist resorts, and along scenic tourist roads, improving relevant standards, and advancing rating management in an orderly manner.

The measures call for strengthening the supply and management of RV tourism products. Regions with the capacity to do so are guided to integrate cultural and tourism resources and create a number of distinctive RV tourism routes. Tourism enterprises are encouraged to integrate resources such as RV sales, rentals, and travel and launch customized tourism products to cultivate and expand the RV consumption market. High-quality self-driving tourism highways will be developed, with facilities such as roadside rest areas and viewing platforms taking RV parking needs into overall consideration. RV camping behavior will be regulated, with a crackdown on illegal open flames, improper parking, unauthorized structures, unauthorized water and electricity connections, littering, and damage to public facilities and green spaces, while leaving no trace camping is advocated.

On improving RV rental services, the measures encourage car rental companies to engage in RV rental, scientifically locate rental outlets in light of tourism resources, promote services such as credit-based deposit waivers and one-way returns, and strengthen emergency support. Illegal acts infringing on the rights and interests of RV rental consumers will be severely cracked down on in accordance with the law.

The measures call for greater financial support. RV-related financial products and services will be improved, and financial institutions will be encouraged to support RV consumption through multiple channels. Local authorities are encouraged to adopt support measures suited to local conditions to reduce operating costs for businesses such as RV rentals and RV campsite operations. Insurance institutions are guided to launch, in light of the characteristics of RV consumption, diverse insurance products that effectively cover various consumption scenarios, provide products and services such as insurance for belongings carried in vehicles and home property insurance inside vehicles, and set premiums reasonably. The RV insurance service system will be improved to enhance the quality and efficiency of services such as emergency rescue and rapid claims settlement.

On implementing actions to promote RV consumption, the measures encourage regions with the capacity to do so to improve RV consumption promotion policies in light of local conditions, spread new RV lifestyles, cultivate an RV consumption culture, and raise the level of RV consumption. Regions with vehicle purchase restrictions are encouraged to optimize RV management measures and shift from purchase management to use management. Cities piloting automotive distribution and consumption reform are supported in listing RV consumption promotion as a reform task, and cities piloting new consumption business forms, models, and scenarios are encouraged to include qualified consumption scenarios such as RV campsites within the scope of support. Support will be given to including RV campsites in tourism promotion activities, promoting linked discounts between campsite consumption and surrounding consumer businesses, and rolling out RV-friendly destinations in batches.