A touring car race was held in Changchun, Jilin province, on June 22, which was also the opening ceremony of a self-driving tour carnival.

The race will last for six days, during which the motorcade will drive through six areas within the province -- Changchun, Tonghua, Baishan, Changbai Mountain, Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture, and the city of Jilin.

A self-driving tour carnival opens on June 22 in Changchun, Jilin province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The total distance is about 1,300 kilometers and drivers can both make friends and appreciate the beautiful scenery along the way.

Nearly 300 people from eight provinces in China are acting as racers, referees, and navigators, during the event.

Zhan Guojun, president of the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports (CAMF), said diversified motor and car races has become a new driving force of the creative tourism industry and is becoming more and more popular.

Leisure traveling, such as a self-driving tour, is becoming more and more popular in China. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Qu Xiao, director of the Changchun Tourism Bureau, appraised the rich natural resources of Changchun and its advantages in developing the touring car traveling industry and said the race can promote Changchun to the world and improve the integration of all aspects such as tourism, culture, and sports.

The activity is one of the most important parts of the China Changchun Summer Relaxation Festival which opened on June 21.