On the afternoon of March 22, 2012, the 2012 China RV and Camping Industry Development Forum, themed "Leading the RV Industry & Accelerating Camping Development," was held at the second-floor conference hall of the Beijing RV Expo Center in Changyang CSD, Fangshan District, Beijing. The forum was organized by the Organizing Committee of the Beijing International RV and Camping Show, and hosted by the Beijing RV Expo Center.
Pereira: In Europe, the history of RV lifestyle operations is very long. RV living began as early as the late 19th century. Initially, RV camping life was also a form of leisure, mainly involving mountain camping, and using tents for camping was very basic. RV camping started in the early 20th century. Now, after so many years of development, RV life in Europe has become very comfortable. People have motorhomes, and campgrounds have been developed very well, so it has moved beyond its primitive state. It’s convenient and provides a lot of comfort. Nowadays, places for camping abroad have quite complete facilities, including playgrounds for children, and many campgrounds even have swimming pools, which is also a lot of fun. As an RV camping activity, it has developed into a very comprehensive industry in the country. For consumers, they need a very comfortable place to play. For other operators, RV manufacturers, and campground providers, they can also gain certain benefits. Everyone is talking about the economic crisis, but in these past one or two years, more and more people in Europe have been engaging in RV and camping activities. Actually, in different countries, different places, including around the world, the ways people camp vary, but all campers are friends with each other. Every year, there are regional, national, and global RV camping gatherings held in various locations. This year’s IPCC RV camping gathering is in Canada. Last year’s gathering was in the Czech Republic, the year before that in Croatia, and our Mr. Wang also personally experienced the RV camping gathering, leaving very good memories there.
The RV and camping industry in Europe has taken 100 years to reach its current scale, while China's development has been very fast. Five or ten years ago, people had basically no awareness of RV camping, but in these past two years, it has developed rapidly. It may take only 10 years for China to catch up with Europe’s development. With the growth of China’s economy, the RV camping industry will also become one of the fastest-growing industries. Thank you all.
Wang Jidong: Many thanks to Mr. Pereira. As we mentioned earlier, our dialogue includes a session where everyone introduces themselves and another where you introduce your products. I noticed that during the product introduction session, everyone has briefly spoken and has actively promoted their products. Many friends here have their products on-site, and you can also check them out at the exhibition area. Our final segment today is for everyone to share their outlook for the future of RVs in one sentence.
Wang Chengyong: I hope RVs are accepted by more people, that RV camping develops faster, and that it greatly helps fishing and outdoor sports.
Li Xichun: I think the widespread promotion of the RV industry in China can be described in one phrase: “The wind is rising before the storm.”
Dong Xuemin: I have two suggestions. The first is for businesses that have already built RV campgrounds and those that are currently constructing them—I have just one sentence: what you are building are RV campgrounds, RV lifestyles, not RV parking lots. The second suggestion is for all RV manufacturers and sellers here: I hope you bring us players a type of RV suitable for the Chinese market. Don’t blindly pursue maximum profits. Actually, Red Ant and 21st Century RV Network have done a lot of significant work. Over the past few years, in our club in the Chinese market—without mentioning how much money was spent—we have no profit motive, but we are promoting this RV industry. All our players are elites and business owners. They’d rather spend money to go out and have fun and promote the RV cause. I hope manufacturers don’t blindly pursue maximum profits. I hope you can also make contributions to promoting RV products. As Mr. Wang from 21st Century said, we need to advance together. Only through consensus can we make the RV cause bigger. By then, I believe any RV company or seller will have great opportunities. Thank you.
Liu Yujiu: You can see that over these past two years, the central government’s policy on economic restructuring is very clear. So I’ll speak a bit longer-term. Ten years from now, China’s RV camping industry chain and sector will definitely be clearer and more standardized than it is now. That will be our spring. As the CEO of Red Ant mentioned, as RV manufacturers, we will definitely respond to the voice of the general consumers and launch better RV products suited to the Chinese market. We hope for greater support and attention from everyone.
Pereira: I hope everyone becomes a pioneer in China’s RV camping industry.
Jia Ning: I also want to thank the 21st Century RV Network for organizing this RV forum. I wish everyone in the RV industry chain—just as Mr. Liu and Mr. Pereira mentioned, the RV industry in China will become a mainstream sector of economic development within 5 to 10 years—so I also wish everyone to contribute more strength and achieve greater success in the trend of RV camping development. Also, I’d like to thank Mr. Wang from the 21st Century RV Network. I wish our RV website continues to grow and improve, and I wish our RV camping gatherings become increasingly successful.
Wang Jidong: Earlier, Mr. Dong mentioned something he’d like to add.
Dong Xuemin: RVs are indeed widely used across the country. There are many direct buyers, and also many who DIY. I just want to say, when you buy RVs from various merchants and sellers, I hope you provide good after-sales service and truly satisfy all users. Don’t let them feel that this is just a product, that once it’s sold, no one cares. Make sure they truly feel at home. Our Red Ant’s 2012 event, “Celebrating Chinese New Year in Sanya,” is also a signature brand of ours, launched every year. We welcome all merchants and camping enthusiasts to actively participate in Red Ant’s events in 2013.