Run on caravans and motor caravans

The holiday form of caravanning is currently enjoying exorbitant growth in popularity. Despite the Corona pandemic, the caravanning industry experienced the best first half-year of its history. New registrations of leisure vehicles rose by 3.7 percent compared to the first half of the previous year. In the first six months of 2020, 54,439 new vehicles were registered. At halftime, this is already the number for the whole year of 2016. In April, motor vehicle dealerships had to temporarily close down following a decision by the Federal Government and the federal states to combat the corona pandemic. This had led to a drastic slump in new registrations. With the easing of corona measures and the re-opening of dealerships, a strong catch-up effect set in in May, particularly in the motor caravan sector. Since then, there have also been many new customers who are interested in a holiday with a motor caravan or a caravan for the first time, as Daniel Onggowinarso, Managing Director of the caravanning industry association CIVD, reports: “Caravaning is one of the safest forms of holiday in these times, as you travel individually with a leisure vehicle and only with people from your own household, and are largely self-sufficient thanks to your own sleeping, living, cooking and sanitary facilities”. From January to June a total of 39,627 motor caravans were newly registered. This is 12.0 percent more than in the same period of last year and a new all-time high. New registrations of caravans (14,812 units) are currently still 13.5 percent below the 2019 half-year result.

Run on leisure vehicles in June – catch-up effect for caravans
In June, the caravanning industry experienced a real run on its products. A total of 12,726 recreational vehicles came onto the streets for the first time – a new record for the month of June. This represents a whopping increase of 49.6 percent compared to the same month of last year. New registrations of motor caravans rose by an outstanding 65.4 percent. With 9,154 first-time registrations, the past month was the best June in the history of this vehicle segment. Caravan registrations rose by a strong 20.0 percent compared to June 2019 to 3,572 makes. In May, the caravan market had recorded a minus of 15.8 percent. “Our assumption that the catch-up effect for caravans will set in somewhat later and more slowly has been confirmed,” explains Onggowinarso. “The turnaround has been achieved. With the reduction in VAT, there is an additional incentive to purchase a leisure vehicle in the second half of the year. We are optimistic for the next six months,” says the association’s managing director.