"I’ll bring you, you bring the car — let’s go on a spontaneous trip" is becoming an increasingly common lifestyle. With the growing number of vehicles in China, road trips have continued to surge in popularity. However, travel experts believe that the real boom hasn’t arrived yet. Currently, road trip consumption remains largely basic, leaving plenty of room for deeper exploration. And for travelers, if you want to take your road trip to the next level? Both your creativity and your travel gear need a full upgrade!
Travel awareness too basic: To unlock more fun on the road, you’ll need to think outside the box.
Is road tripping really as simple as "I’ll bring you, you bring the car"? That’s only because most people are still at a very basic level. Many families who own cars tend to drive straight to nearby parks or scenic destinations — essentially just changing their mode of transportation. Most haven’t yet developed a deeper awareness of the broader joys road trips can offer.
There are vastly different levels of enjoyment, from short-distance and cross-province road trips to cross-border journeys; from private family drives to organized group trips with travel agencies or clubs; from simply traveling to and from a destination, to enjoying a full suite of customized road trip services including unique itineraries, attraction tickets, meals, accommodations, car rentals, insurance, and travel shopping.
Just think — isn’t staying in a high-end RV or camping at a travel campsite more adventurous than booking a standard hotel? Isn’t cruising down foreign highways more thrilling than wandering around familiar city streets? Does driving a van feel the same as driving an off-road vehicle along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway? Many unique, immersive experiences aren’t unwanted or unnecessary — they’re just not widely understood.
Many local governments, travel agencies, clubs, investors in road trip campsites, and suppliers of related facilities bring newly developed road trip routes, cabins, RVs, and equipment to the Beijing Tourism Industry Expo. Their goal is to provide road trippers with more hands-on experiences and a wider range of deeper, diverse options.
Travel gear too basic: Deep road trips are all about the details.
"Go where you want, stop when you want" is one of the biggest appeals of road tripping. But if you’re not properly prepared, acting on a whim and hitting the road can quickly turn into a nightmare if your car breaks down or — worse — an accident forces you to stop. At present, many travelers still have a very basic understanding of road safety and the necessary gear. Some even set off with just a car full of people and no extra equipment, which creates numerous hidden risks.
When it comes to the car itself, a successful road trip requires not just a reliable, well-equipped vehicle, but also additional gear depending on the road conditions. This might include repair tools, spare tires, tire inflators, jacks, lug wrenches, fire extinguishers, tow ropes, warning triangles, engine oil, spare bulbs, and fuses. Yet, most travelers are under-prepared or simply unaware of these essentials.
Then there’s the difference that proper travel gear can make to the overall road trip experience. Take the story of a couple who went to the seaside on a spontaneous road trip. Because they weren’t well-prepared, they just walked along the beach and ate some seafood before heading back. But while there, they saw other families setting up tents, laying out foldable tables and chairs, firing up barbecue grills, putting up volleyball nets, hanging hammocks, and enjoying sunrises, sea breezes, barbecues, volleyball, and fishing. They couldn’t help but feel envious, truly realizing how much richer and more detailed the road trip experience can be with the right gear — the gap was huge.
This is not an isolated case. In fact, it’s often only through hands-on experiences that many travelers begin to appreciate the potential of deep road trips and start upgrading both their experiences and gear. The "Road Trip Themed Exhibition" at the 4th Beijing Tourism Industry Expo gained attention precisely because it showcased a full range of road trip products.
Full range of road trip products on display at Beijing Tourism Industry Expo’s “Road Trip Themed Exhibition”
At the 4th Beijing International Tourism Commodities Expo, held from October 24–26, the "Road Trip Themed Exhibition" caught the eye of many road trip enthusiasts, travelers, and adventure seekers.
Across the expo’s five zones — vehicles, gear, camping at scenic areas, clubs, services, and media — a variety of institutions including government tourism bodies, auto 4S shops, road trip campsite investors, and equipment suppliers gathered to showcase a full spectrum of products. These included well-known domestic and international SUVs, station wagons, RVs, and modified vehicles; auto accessories and outdoor gear for road trips; and comprehensive road trip services such as car rentals, private drivers, hotels, insurance, maintenance, detailing, beauty treatments, and relevant apps.
Visitors could not only browse and choose the gear they wanted to upgrade, but also take part in enriching offline activities — including road trip launch ceremonies, test drives, road trip events, VIP experience tours, new product launches for road trip gear, and promotions for scenic areas, routes, and campsites — to discover even more joys of deep road tripping and get fully prepared for their next adventure.
In addition, the organizers collaborated with road trip clubs to invite 20 auto clubs to attend, and extended invitations to over 200,000 road trip members, allowing everyone to access more information while meeting fellow travelers. Special offers — such as a 1,000 RMB cash voucher for booking Roewe or MG vehicles at a Beijing 4S shop — will also bring added benefits to attendees.
Registration for both exhibiting and visiting the 4th Beijing Tourism Industry Expo is now open on the official expo website (http://www.bjtcf.com/). Professionals in the travel industry are welcome to attend. For inquiries, please call: 010-84602863.