Caravan campsites in suburbs have become popular getaways for families and the outdoorsy crowd. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Approximately 8,000 recreational vehicles were sold in China last year, according to a report jointly compiled by the China Tourism Automobile and Cruise Association and the Tourism Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The number of caravan owners in China is now around 45,000, and the Chinese took 2.64 billion self-drive trips in 2016, up 12.8 percent over the previous year, the report says.

As of now, around 3,200 clubs are committed to self-drive tours.

Meanwhile, in Beijing, caravan campsites in suburbs have become popular getaways for families and the outdoorsy crowd.

"We were fully booked during the Dragon Boat Festival," says Jiang Lili, the general manager of a Beijing caravan resort funded by the China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Ltd.

Parents who bring their children, those who love themed tours, and companies that hold team-building events are our main customers, says Jiang.

The resort in the northeastern Miyun district is a 1.5-hour drive from downtown.

There are now around 30 caravans at the resort.