As global tourism rebounds, Chinese travellers are leading the way in a revived passion for self-drive vacations abroad. Moving beyond traditional guided tours, these travellers are now choosing the independence and flexibility of renting cars to explore new destinations on their own terms. This shift is redefining what international road trips look like, creating both opportunities and challenges for the global tourism industry. In this post, we explore how Chinese tourists are transforming self-drive travel, the factors behind this trend, and how businesses can adapt to meet the needs of this adventurous demographic.
Who Are the Chinese Self-Drive Tourists?
The most important segments for outbound travel from China are the Gen Z and Millennials. With growth in this younger cohort, Chinese tourists are becoming a diverse and adventurous group, primarily made up of younger, tech-savvy travellers in their twenties and thirties who seek independence and flexibility. They are especially motivated by the chance to visit iconic attractions and natural landscapes as research shows they are 20% more likely than people from the rest of the world to go abroad for visiting attractions. Younger generations in general are more comfortable with integrating technology into their holiday planning, using apps and online travel agencies to look for new, off-the-beaten-track experiences. They are big users of the social media platforms, in particular Xiaohongshu (or Red Book), and they are keen to seek out new, unexplored places and experiences. Many of these are not accessible by public transport, so hiring a self-drive car is the only alternative to a taxi or private tour.
The consumer base is shifting into a younger demographic. Gen X accounts for 39%, Gen Y 37%. Gen Z is seeing the most rapid growth, with rentals up 77% vs 2023. Family travellers account for more than 51% of total bookers.
What Kind of Numbers are we Talking?
According to Zuzuche (which is China’s most important car rental platform), outbound self-drive travel demand increased by 50% y-o-y during the summer, with an average rental duration of 7.4 days, higher than the same period in 2019. For Europe, the average is nearer to 8 days.
If you want to look at trends coming down the line, it’s useful to check out the domestic market in China, as what is happening there tends to move into outbound over time. Domestically, the most significant change is the frequency of summer self drive, with an increase of short trips of 700%. The average trip duration also increased by 6% to 3.2 days. Self Drive is becoming more and more popular, home and away.
What is so Appealing About Self-Drive Road Trips for Chinese Travellers?
A study by McKinsey’s shows that the 2nd most popular archetype for abroad holidays amongst travellers was “Culture and Authenticity seekers”, making self-drive holidays more appealing by offering freedom for the traveller to choose their own pace, stop at off-the-beaten-path spots and avoid large tour groups.
Cost is another important factor, with self-drive considered more economical than public transport or taxis, especially in destinations such as the Middle East, Australia and Europe. The average cost of outbound self drive travel decreased by 5% in Summer 24.
Self-drive Road Trip Tourism Trends
Newer self-drive markets, such as Thailand, Malaysia, and parts of Eastern Europe, are seeing rising interest from Chinese tourists wanting to hire cars and drive themselves. Southeastern Europe more specifically has become a popular destination for these tourists due to its relaxed visa policies and rich cultural appeal. These destinations appeal to experienced travellers looking to discover unique locations, avoid crowded spots, and dive deeper into local cultures. Zuzuche lists its top ten outbound self drive destinations for Summer 2024 as Italy, Australia, Thailand, USA, UK, New Zealand, Germany, France, Spain and Turkey.
The Chinese boom in the Electric Vehicle market, with EVs being easily accessible and cheap to buy in China, means self-drive, domestically at least, is seen as an economically viable alternative, and a relatively sustainable option. More than half of all new cars being sold in China are now hybrids or electric vehicles, any car rental company outside China, wishing to appeal to this market, needs to ensure they have the new energy fleet to fulfil this demand.
Booking Methods
Currently in China, car hire is mainly booked through Online Travel Agents (OTAs), or the car rental companies’ own apps, WeChat Mini Programs or websites. Bookings are also made offline at airports and train stations.
Tour operators offering group tours, or customised tours will normally still offer chartered coaches or public transportation options. This approach ensures higher profit margins for them, whilst also reducing risk. In any case, those who are keen to self-drive are often more independent, and tend to want to create their own itineraries, so book via OTAs or rental companies direct. They prefer well known international brands, such as Hertz or Europcar.
Supporting Chinese travellers Abroad: How Car Hire Businesses Can Adapt
Not all international car rental companies offer services in Chinese, and local signage or instructions are often only in the local language. Travellers may also face language barriers when dealing with unexpected issues, like vehicle breakdowns or accidents. By providing information on road safety regulations, insurance details, pre-trip driving guides, as well as supplying on-call assistance in their native language, businesses can ease travellers’ concerns; a great case study would be Germany’s travel app and road-safety campaign. The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) launched a travel app with recommended itineraries, hotel and car rental booking features, and road safety information for Chinese drivers. They promoted this app through engaging digital campaigns, including an interactive WeChat racing game.
Some companies even offer free driving guides or user-friendly apps that suggest routes, accommodations and tips for first-time drivers in foreign destinations. In 2017, the Canadian Tourism Bureau used seasonal content to attract Chinese tourists, such as guides for autumn foliage drives. The guides were published on WeChat and received many views and likes, highlighting the power of tailored content in engaging Chinese travellers.
Global car hire businesses should partner with Chinese travel agents to maximise bookings. As mentioned, Chinese travellers prefer to book car hire through familiar Chinese OTAs such as Zuzuche, Tuniu, and Ctrip. Adapting to these platforms is essential for businesses hoping to attract Chinese clients as it ensures a smooth and familiar process for the prospective customer.
Embracing the Rise of Self-Drive Chinese Travellers
As more Chinese travellers take to the road abroad, they’re bringing a fresh spirit of independence, adventure, and flexibility to the international travel scene. This shift means that destinations and businesses have a chance to welcome these travellers by making car rentals easier to navigate, offering Chinese-friendly services, and understanding the unique needs of these self-drive tourists. By adapting to their preferences, destinations can help Chinese tourists explore beyond the usual hotspots, creating memorable experiences for them and fueling growth in exciting, new areas of travel.
At Guanxi, we collaborate with a diverse range of brands, destinations, attractions and accommodation providers across the UK, Europe and North America. We’ve helped many businesses raise their profile and attract Chinese visitors and we’d love to do the same for you. Whether you’re looking to expand your reach in China or need expert advice on navigating the Chinese market, our team is here to help. For more information, email us at [email protected] or visit our ‘Contact‘ page.