China’s tourists hit the road in record numbers as driving tours pick up speed

More travellers are choosing to rent cars and strike out on their own for trips in China as farther-flung destinations gain popularity

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Self-driven tours are becoming more popular in China as “off-the-beaten-track” destinations get more attention from travellers. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 11:00am, 18 Sep 2024Updated: 11:14am, 19 Sep 2024

China has a near-unlimited set of options for the budding traveller to get from place to place – high-speed trains, buses and ride sharing, to name a few – but to reach the picturesque mountains of Shangri-La in Yunnan province, Bryce Linden prefers to venture onto the expressway in a car he has rented himself.

“One thing that’s nice is you don’t have to coordinate with a driver,” the 25-year-old said. Born in the United States, he now lives in the province’s Dali, about four hours from the rugged tracts where his parents have built boutique hotels.

Linden is one of a growing group opting to drive themselves to must-see spots, as they are so far from urban centres that ride-shares are unlikely to pick them up after an outing. Analysts pointed to improved rural infrastructure and shifting preferences among youth as reasons for the upswing in popularity.

Rental car bookings increased more than 60 per cent in July and August this year over the same months in 2023, the Chinese travel platform Fliggy said on September 5.

The platform said bookings have grown by more than 200 per cent in far-flung tourist destinations in northern and western China, naming as examples Heihe along the Russian border, Alar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and the city of Bijie in Guizhou province, known for its nature reserve.