Back on a Record Run: Caravanning Industry with Sales Growth in the First Half-Year

The German caravanning industry is posting record figures again. After a corona-related decline in the first half of 2020, sales grew strongly again in the first six months of this year: 6.8 billion euros represent an increase of 21.5 percent. The total sales volume of the industry was, thus, not only above the “pre-Corona level”, but also reached a new all-time best. In addition to the record demand for new and pre-owned motor caravans and caravans in Germany, this was also due to a significant increase in exports. Exports had declined significantly in the first half of the previous year. Consequently, sales of new vehicles climbed by 27.1 percent to 3.8 billion euros. Motor caravans accounted for 3.3 billion euros of total turnover, an increase of 26.8 percent and a new record. Business with new caravans even rose by 28.4 percent. German manufacturers turned over 550 million euros with this vehicle type.

Turnover with pre-owned leisure vehicles also up

Even in the “Corona year” 2020, sales on the German market for pre-owned vehicles had grown. They continued to rise in the first six months of 2021. Thus, dealerships have turned over 2.4 billion euros with pre-owned motor caravans and caravans since the beginning of the year – 13.0 per cent more than in the same period last year and equivalent to a new record. “Demand on the German used vehicle market partly exceeds supply, as motor caravan and caravan owners are using their vehicles right now and do not want to give them away,” explains Daniel Onggowinarso, Managing Director of the caravanning industry association CIVD.

The third division of the industry, the accessories business, also achieved the best half-year result in history. 585 million euros in sales correspond to an increase of 23.1 per cent. “Caravanning has been the number one trendy form of holiday not only since the Corona pandemic. Demand for new and pre-owned vehicles in Germany is rushing from record to record, and in 2021 foreign demand has also picked up massively again after a temporary slump in 2020. In all three business segments, the signs are clearly pointing to record sales for the year as a whole,” says Onggowinarso optimistically.