On March 6, 2017, Canvas, a pioneer in China's ecotourism and the creator of the country's first high-end tented camp, was invited to unveil its new brand strategy and announce upcoming projects on the annual "China Self-Drive Day." This also marked the first appearance of Canvas, a comprehensive provider of end-to-end solutions for high-end campsites, on the international stage at the Shanghai International Fashion Center since its establishment eight years ago.
Since being designated as "China Self-Drive Day" in 2015, March 6 has become a celebration for millions of driving enthusiasts across China. Each year, the event gathers information related to self-driving technology, automobiles, outdoor activities, camping, and off-road tourism, while also highlighting the most fashionable, fresh, representative, and trend-setting brands and events in the self-drive travel industry. Self-driving vehicles, high-end campsites, and self-drive tourism together form an integrated travel ecosystem that spans from transportation to destination formats and new lifestyles. Since 2016, both the State Council and the National Tourism Administration have actively promoted the development of self-drive RV campsites. Favorable policies and market gaps have brought significant attention to ecotourism brands like Canvas this year, making Canvas' brand launch a major highlight of the "China Self-Drive Day."
CanvasVinetree, established in 2009 and originating from Yunnan, China, is one of the earliest developers of campsite tourism in the country and one of the few providers of comprehensive end-to-end solutions for high-end campsites. It focuses on the development of ecotourism products, using non-standard accommodation such as tented camps as an entry point to develop route tourism and ancient village tourism revitalization projects, while also expanding the development of destination-based eco-derivatives. Built on this business model, the brand advocates preserving and enhancing the differentiated existence of natural and humanistic spaces to meet the lifestyle experience needs of various customer groups.
During the launch, the core team of Canvas introduced the brand’s core values and reviewed its eight-year journey in ecotourism: In May 2013, with the spirit of "rooting down, striving upward, living in harmony, and going with the flow," Canvas built China’s first and the world’s highest-altitude high-end tented camp — Canvas · Gedan Tent Camp — at the 3,600-meter elevation of the Glade Grassland in Lijiang’s Laojun Mountain National Park, Yunnan.Over the past three years, with just seven guest tents and services provided by local ethnic minority staff, Canvas · Geda Dan Tent Camp has won numerous industry awards and become the most coveted hidden gem for high-end self-drive travelers, hailed as a "soul paradise where you can reach for the stars."
Canvas emphasizes that the concept of a campsite is not limited to tented camps, but rather a pyramid structure consisting of campgrounds, auto camps, and high-end tented camps, which can cater to the self-driving tourism needs of different groups. With the continuous improvement of China’s highway infrastructure, this represents a huge market.
Years of experience in resource research, investment, design, construction, planning, operation, and management have given the Canvas team the innovation and execution capabilities needed to provide end-to-end services for ecotourism projects in various environments — from investment and site selection, planning and design, tent manufacturing and installation, field construction, to brand output, marketing, and hotel-style camp management. Over the past few years, Canvas has established three platforms for investment, construction, and operations, securing opportunities to develop ecotourism projects in world-class destinations such as the Gaoligong Mountains and the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. In every project, whether visible or behind the scenes, Canvas strives to deeply cultivate unique campsite forms, vitality, management models, and core brand values, integrating them with the surrounding environment; rooted locally, the brand works in partnership with local communities for mutual benefit. In 2017, Canvas made its debut as a comprehensive end-to-end solution provider in the campsite industry.
The launch event also previewed Canvas’ latest upcoming projects for 2017: Canvas · Honghe Valley Tent Camp, Canvas · Gaoligong Tent Camp, and the ancient village revitalization of Suhong Village in the Hani Rice Terraces.
Canvas · Honghe Valley Tent Camp is located in the abandoned Hani ancient village of "Stone Village," by the World Heritage site "Honghe Hani Rice Terraces," and will begin trial operations in early April this year. Out of respect for the millennia-old terraced rice farming culture of the Hani people, the ruins within the village will be carefully restored and preserved, presented as a heritage park within the tented camp. Multiple public spaces and 17 guest tents equipped with SPA bathtubs allow visitors to enjoy spa services and poetic countryside views.
Canvas · Gaoligong Tent Camp, set to begin trial operations in April 2017, is nestled among the lush treetops of the Gaoligong Mountains in Yunnan, neighboring the birds, beasts, flowers, and insects of the dense forests and the Ancient Southern Silk Road. The area borders the "Three Parallel Rivers" World Natural Heritage site and is known as one of the regions with the richest biodiversity in the world. The project site is located about 5 kilometers outside the southern boundary of the Gaoligong Mountain National Nature Reserve and the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, adjacent to the Gaoligong Mountain Nature Park. Fifteen guest tents and five public spaces hover above the ground, alongside several grassland tents, coexisting with the forest. Elements of 19th-century retro exploration evoke the adventurous spirit of the "Age of Great Scientific Discovery," offering opportunities to learn from, respect, and protect nature while returning to it.
To integrate content and build tourism destinations, Canvas also participates in the restoration of nearby ancient villages, transforming them into multi-format lifestyle experience destinations. Suhong Village, set to gradually open to the public by the end of 2017, neighbors the largest single terraced field in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces — the Samaba Terraces, and is a prime example. With support from the local government, Canvas invited world-renowned architect Yung Ho Chang for the planning. Over the next three years, the area will gradually become a multi-format lifestyle experience destination centered around small homestays.
As more urban residents choose self-drive tours as their primary holiday leisure activity, campsites — with their high compatibility with nature, unique forms and functions, and sustainability — are gaining increasing favor. In 2017, let’s see what surprises Canvas will bring to self-driving enthusiasts through its creations.
[Venue Support] Shanghai International Fashion Center [Audiovisual Support] HUALIDA Audiovisual
[Omni-Media Live Broadcast] Weihoo Live, LIVE GIFFING [Official Video Team] Zheyany Media [Font Collaboration] HanYi Font Library
[Opinion Leader Trophy & Gift Sponsor] Cooper Tire United States [Special Cooperation] SMART Resort Real Estate Expert Committee Camping World
[Official Designated Vehicle] eHi Car Services [Preliminary Hall Services] Mubai Craft Garden, Snow Beer [Tea Break Management] Yaowang Finance
[2016 China Self-Drive Route Selection Annual Report] China Tourism Academy Kunming Branch [2016 China Self-Drive Annual Rankings Managed By] eHi Car Services, Auto Journal, Taike Homestays, Huizuche, NewRank, AC Automotive
[Conference Content Co-Creation] China Telecom Baidu, Baojia Travel, Chehejia, SMART Resort Industry Committee, BTG Homeinns Hotels Group, Camping World, Archimedes, eHi Car Services, Yujing Auto, Camping World, Taike Homestays, AVIC Aiyoutourist, Panda Media, iResearch Capital, Flying Horse Travel, Kuaiyixing
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[Future Cars Life Show Co-Creation] Cooper Tire United States, Baojia Travel, eHi Car Services, Aiwei RVs, Taike Homestays, Hongyu West RVs, Camping World, CAS Tuning Car Show, 599 4WD Club, HH Auto, BTG Homeinns Hotels Group, Ganzi Prefecture Tourism Development Commission of Sichuan, Guian New Area Tourism and Cultural Development Center of Guizhou, Binghu Car Fridges, Shanghai Oushen Tents, Autopia Australia RVs, Nomad RVs, Road Network, Huiscar RVs, Shanghai Hi Inn RV Club, Shanghai Shunlv Auto Co., Ltd., Cross Country Club China, Chengdu Dianxing Self-Drive Club, Beijing Target Action Auto Club, LuYou Self-Drive, FILA, DELSEY, VANS, PERFECT MOMENT, MIZUNO, NICE CLAUP, BASIC HOUSE, ABLE JEANS, TIDE Life (Red text indicates brands from the fashion center)
[Press Conference] CTS Outotek RV Travel, Ninghua County Tourism Bureau, Canvas Travel, eHi Car Services, Cooper Tire United States, Camping World, Road Network
[Chief Judge of the Awards]
Travel/Support: eHi Car Services, Baojia Travel, Huizuche, Global Rideshare, Charging Network, Zhida Technology, Yujing Auto, Kuaiyixing, Shanghai Huibao, Auto Superman, Yuanmeng Kangjian, AC Automotive
Play/Stay: BTG Homeinns Hotels Group, SMART Resort Real Estate Expert Committee, Camping World, China Ancient Villages Conference, AVIC Aiyoutourist, Ziyouke, Fanqie Laile, Fliggy, Ctrip, Taobao Travel, Taoke Homestays, Beijing International Tourism Commodities Expo, Dongdian Technology
Promotion/Research: Youku Travel, Archimedes, Outlook Magazine, Sina Auto, Auto Journal Magazine, Panda Media, Focus Media, China Outdoor Media Network, Top Landmark, iResearch Group, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, iCar
[Secretariat]
Award Initiation Party: Aijia Media
Annual Award Report Compilation Organization: China Tourism Academy Kunming Branch
Honorary Cooperative Provinces: Sichuan Provincial Tourism Development Commission, Chengdu Municipal Tourism Bureau, People’s Government of Wenjiang District, Chengdu
[Supporting Organizations] Sichuan Provincial Tourism Development Commission, Guizhou Provincial Tourism Development Commission, Sichuan Ganzi Prefecture Tourism Development Commission, Sanming City Tourism Bureau of Fujian Province, Qianxinan Prefecture Tourism Development Commission of Guizhou Province, Qiandongnan Prefecture Tourism Development Commission of Guizhou Province, Huaxi Tourism Management Committee of Guizhou Province, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Tourism Bureau of Qinghai Province, Pingwu County People's Government of Mianyang City, Huangpu District Tourism Bureau of Shanghai, Guian New Area Tourism and Cultural Industry Development Center of Guizhou Province, Jiading District Tourism Bureau of Shanghai, Wenjiang District Tourism Bureau of Chengdu, Ninghua County Tourism Bureau of Sanming City, Sonid Right Banner Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau of Xilin Gol League, Xixing Starting Point, Saihantala Hot Springs, Jurong Extreme Old Boys Culture Media Co., Ltd., Maxim’s, Snow Beer, French Le Flâner, Wuwai Shanshui.ArtGarden, La Vinsche Piano
(Ranking in no particular order)
[Media Supporters] Youku Travel, Xiaokang Magazine, Sina Auto, DianDian Tech, iCar China, Xinhua News Agency, Jiefang Daily, China Automotive News, China Tourism News, Travel Weekly, The Paper, Jiemian News, National Business Daily, Auto Observer, Auto Commune, Auto Insight, Private Geography, Bund Pictorial New Media, Lucheng Network, Pinchain Travel, Beehive Go, Ali Car Review, Travel Business Observer, Jiayou Online, Travel & Living Times Network, Hiker Outdoor Network, Cool Travel Media, Suzhou Radio & Television Urban Media, Dalian Traffic Radio, Tong Jiren Auto Review (Ranking in no particular order)