Holiday revellers enjoy self-driving
( 2002-10-07 10:10 ) (1 )

"Have car, will travel" seems to be a more popular catch phrase in China these days with an increasing number of locals opting for self-drive holidays over other modes of transport, such as trains and planes.

One of those enjoying the freedom of the road is 29-year-old Shao Xiaoxin, who drove her car during a tour of North China's Shanxi Province over last week's National Day holidays.

"It is so convenient to travel in my own car," Shao said. "Instead of having to hurry after a tourist guide from one place to another, I now feel more flexible."

Zheng Fangwei, who works in the marine industry in Qingdao in East China's Shandong Province, drove to Beijing with his family during the recent vacation.

"Although the distance was a bit far, I enjoyed using my own car," he said.

Zhou Jie, a Beijing Institute of Technology student, rented a car just days after getting his driver's licence.

"I hope one day I can drive a car to the Qinghai-Tibet plateau," he said during last week's holiday.

Every long vacation, hundreds of thousands of travellers use China's highways to get out of cities and get closer to nature.

Free from obligatory spending and a fixed itinerary, tourists with cars have the advantage of making their own choices.

Experts say the popularity of self-drive holidays is linked to a rise in independent transport in China's large and medium-sized cities.

When the country first introduced a seven-day vacation policy over two years ago, enthusiastic tourists flocked to scenic sites.

Now wise travellers are choosing more remote places for their breaks, with cars the favoured mode of transport.

The rise in the number of private cars is another factor.

By about June, 4 per cent of Beijing households had a car. Nearly 90 per cent of new car buyers in Beijing are private owners.

The rapid development of highways is another reason for the popularity in self-drive tourism.

In recent years, China's extensive highway network has made it easier to travel between cities.

Xinhua