Following the historically long 12-day leave-hack during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, a recent “13-day holiday leave-hacking guide” for New Year’s Day and Spring Festival has gone viral online. “Leave-hackers” are now eyeing their annual leave to plan their next extended trip, with outbound self-drive tours — currently the hottest trend among white-collar workers — becoming a best-selling inquiry at major travel agencies.
“10-Day Self-Drive Tour in Pristine New Zealand,” “Explore Egypt: Self-Drive Across the Sahara Desert,” “USA Self-Drive: Aurora Adventure in Alaska,” “Mystery Tour of the Golden Triangle”… At the 4th Beijing Travel Trade Expo to be held from October 24–26, over ten personalized outbound self-drive tour routes launched by various travel clubs have drawn significant attention from driving enthusiasts.
New Year’s Day & Spring Festival Leave-Hacking Guide: Up to Over 13 Consecutive Days Off Possible!
This time, “leave-hackers” are setting their sights on annual leave. According to the “Regulations on Paid Annual Leave for Employees,” those with 1–10 years of cumulative service are entitled to 5 days of annual leave; those with 10–20 years, 10 days; and those with over 20 years, 15 days.
That means: 3 days of New Year’s holiday + 5 days of annual leave + weekends = a “10-Day Self-Drive Tour in New Zealand”; 5 days of annual leave + New Year’s Eve + 7 days of Spring Festival = an over-10-day self-drive journey along the “U.S. West Coast Loop.” For seasoned white-collar veterans with 10 or 20 years of service, it’s even possible to hack together over 13 or even 23 days of “crazy holidays.” Some netizens say they’ve laughed in their dreams over it!
Leave-Hacking Travel: Outbound Self-Drive Tours Gain Popularity Among White-Collar Workers
“If you don’t make waves now, you’ll grow old regretting it” has become a new label for today’s urban young professionals. Escaping the concrete jungle, enjoying the thrill of chasing dreams on the road, and taking the road less traveled — they’re never afraid of a little adventure, which is why “leave-hacking travel” has become so popular.
Chase dolphins in Kaikoura, New Zealand; gaze at the “most beautiful starry sky” at Lake Tekapo; experience the adrenaline rush of skydiving and bungee jumping in Queenstown; cruise along the 460-mile stretch of coastline from San Francisco to Los Angeles, speeding down the world’s most scenic road — the U.S. Route 1, reliving the ultimate romance of Tom Cruise and his co-star chasing through blue seas, skies, and dramatic cliffs in “Mission: Impossible”; or gather the coolest self-drive gear, bring your adventurous spirit, and self-drive across the Sahara Desert to uncover the mysteries of Egypt… Outbound self-drive tours not only offer stunning foreign landscapes but also the cool experience of driving freedom, making them the trendiest way to travel among white-collar circles.
How do travelers get information on outbound self-drive tours? According to Tuniu data, 10% seek advice through travel agencies and clubs. Due to language barriers, travel environments, driving habits, and local cultural differences, going solo on an outbound self-drive tour is quite challenging, so most self-drive enthusiasts prefer to go through travel agencies or clubs.
At this expo’s “Self-Drive Tour Theme Exhibition,” multiple travel clubs such as Explorer Travel Club, Tuyue Self-Drive, Beijing Xingtianxia Auto Club, Mingchen Travel Club, and Beijing Naredo Auto Club have become forward outposts for many outbound self-drive enthusiasts. The exhibition will feature a variety of outbound self-drive routes including “10-Day Self-Drive Tour in Pristine New Zealand,” “Explore Egypt: Self-Drive Across the Sahara Desert,” top Red Sea resort trips, the 11-day U.S. West Coast Loop Christmas Shopping Tour, “Greece’s Most Beautiful Aegean – Santorini Dream Self-Drive Journey,” Turkey self-drive tours, the Mystery Golden Triangle exploration, and Taiwan Island Loop self-drive tours.
In addition to customized overseas self-drive routes, the various clubs are also offering generous discounts of 500, 1000, or even up to 5000 yuan off travel fees during the exhibition period, which is another big draw for self-drive enthusiasts.
Self-drive enthusiasts can not only consult on-site about outbound self-drive tours and meet fellow travel buddies, but the expo will also showcase a full range of self-drive products including well-known domestic and international SUVs, campers, RVs, modified vehicles, auto accessories and gear for self-driving, outdoor travel equipment, as well as comprehensive self-drive travel services such as car rental, private transfers, hotels, insurance, maintenance, detailing, beauty services, and apps. Everyone can also shop for the latest and most complete self-drive gear to prepare for their next trip!
Currently, free registration for visiting the 4th Beijing Travel Trade Expo is in full swing at the official expo website (http://www.bjtcf.com/). Industry professionals are welcome to attend. For inquiries, call: 4001006240.