Megarally comes to China this summer

The annual rally of the 80-year-old International Federation of Camping and Caravaning will take place in China from May 30 to June 8.

The gathering for outdoor and campervan enthusiasts sponsored by the Federation International de Camping, Caravaning et de Autocaravaning of Belgium will be held at a campsite in Yanqing county, close to the well-known tourist attractions of Badaling Great Wall and Longqing Gorge.

Campervan enthusiasts from around the world can either leave their own campervans in place for a few days or rent a vehicle as they fire up their barbecues or visit the wall and gorge.

Visitors will be able to entertain themselves with activities including a music festival, dragon-boat racing and Chinese folk culture. The organizing committee has also designed trips to explore the ancient city and prairie of Yongning. In addition, visitors can take a helicopter ride for a bird's-eye view of the mountains near the capital.

The campsite is well equipped for comfort and safety, including showers, medical services, bicycle rental stations and restaurants, the committee says.

The annual rally is one of the most important gatherings of campers and caravan enthusiasts worldwide, a fact that is not lost on the Beijing Tourism Development Commission.

With other cities across China, Beijing has enjoyed a surge in interest in camping and campervan travel in recent years, and the rally will meet the new and growing tourist demand, the commission says. It plans to promote more campsites across the city to give residents more options for weekend getaways, it says.

Trips in campervans are becoming an affordable holiday option for Chinese families, says Shang Hui, a staff representative of the organizing committee.

The rally will be held at Yanqing Longwan International Motor-caravaning Campsite, Yanqing, and tickets can be obtained at www.visitbeijing.com.cn.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 04/18/2014 page26)