On Wednesday it was time for a press conference at Elmia Husvagn Husbil. Representatives from Elmia, SCR and the Swedish Caravan Industry Association presented the latest industry survey and tried to predict the future. We tell you in brief!
Table of contents
The largest trade fair in the Nordic region
Scandinavian Caravan Show is the largest trade fair for mobile housing in the Nordic region. There are 150 exhibitors here on an area of more than 33,000 square metres and it is in full. Last year there were 35,671 visitors and no one thinks there will be fewer this year. About 10,000 people live on the fairground alone!
Boom for motorhomes and caravans
In 2016, motorhomes in Sweden increased by more than 34 % and caravans increased by more than 15 %. The industry's own forecast for the future is unreservedly positive and they expect an increase for motorhomes of 20.5 % in 2016 and continued growth of 6 % in 2017. The forecast for caravans is also favourable, but slightly more cautious.
Why more people want to camp
There is no doubt that interest in camping, and in particular motorhomes, is growing. So, what is the reason? If yesterday's presentation is to be believed, there are several reasons. What do you think?
- Low interest rates and a strong Swedish economy
- New customer groups
- Swedes are willing to invest in their leisure time - they work hard and want to treat themselves on their holidays.
- Motorhomes have become status and camping has had its geek stamp washed away
- A ripple effect - the more people who drive a motorhome, the more people want to try it.
- World turmoil increases desire to holiday at home
Considerations for the future
The panel felt that environmental issues must become an important issue for the future, mentioning that work can be done on reducing the weight of motorhomes and developing recyclable materials. They also talked about "new target groups", such as younger people.
The question is whether we know what these younger target groups want? "We think you have to go out and ask younger campers what they want from the vehicles and car parks/campsites of the future. Otherwise, there is a risk that this industry will become a bit ... moody. Or what do you think?
Mr Peter Rydh says:
I wonder when it will dawn on the dealers that families with children in motorhomes are an increasing group, many have good cars in the range but none to be seen in the halls or at Elmia, it will be fun to see if it is better this year on that front!
Now it is not families with children who can afford to buy new but I still think it is an increasing category, two years ago I did not even dream of buying a new one but now it has been close even though this week we ended up buying one of the very few lightly used family caravans!
//Peter
08 September 2016 - 8:38
Monica Bergkvist says:
Also think families with children are a big growing group! Absolutely right that the industry must ask us what we are looking for. Having 3 children is very common today but the supply of motorhomes with more than 4 belted seats is very poor. There are many interesting models in e.g. the USA and the UK. Hopefully the industry in Sweden can get input from there. ?
08 September 2016 - 9:14
admin says:
Peter Rydh, thank you for your comment! We agree that the vast majority of motorhomes on the market are aimed at the active senior couple. We will go out and look for children's family motorhomes today 😉.
Monica Bergkvist, thank you very much for your comments! We'll be looking for family cars and cars with more belted seats today - let's see if we can find anything!
08 September 2016 - 9:23
Inga Magnusson says:
We have good friends who own a nice wilderness campsite here in Årjäng, Camp Grinsby. They have had a great season! Our country really deserves tourists, both from Sweden and elsewhere, it's so beautiful.
08 September 2016 - 11:18
Mr Steve says:
It's good to see a boost for camping and for Sweden as a tourist country.
08 September 2016 - 14:27
Ama de casa says:
Wow! What SMALL motorhomes there in the top picture! 😀
Hmm... I feel a bit like the bitch against the current who has put camping on the shelf. Actually, I haven't, hotel camping is not to be despised 😉.
08 September 2016 - 16:00
åsa in åsele says:
I have always been a bit anti motorhome as I think it seems tedious in several ways 😉 I want to be able to explore the area we visit and then having to drag the whole motorhome feels uncomfortable.
But one of my friends, a family with four children, went on a trip this summer to Gothenburg, Ullared, and it went well even though they have - in my eyes - a small motorhome.
Last summer, when we were out very little, we saw almost as many motorhomes as caravans on the campsite.
08 September 2016 - 16:10
Ditte says:
I don't know anything about caravans, but I know that with our former neighbours with four children, a dog and a rabbit, caravan holidays were the order of the day in the 1980s and 1990s - and even abroad.
But back then, there were no direct family caravans available...
I'm not a camper now, other than as Ama "hotel camping" but we have been boat camping in different rounds and years.
08 September 2016 - 19:01
admin says:
Inga M, glad they had a good season! Interest in camping is increasing. Swedes camp in Sweden, but also Norwegians, Germans and Dutch.
Steve, that's nice 🙂 .
Ama de casa, someone has to keep hotel camping alive! 😉
Åsa in Åsele, it probably depends on how you travel. If you stay in the same place for a long time, I can understand that a caravan is good. If you move around a lot, a motorhome might be a bit more convenient. Tomorrow we will write about caravans!
Ditte, most motorhomes today are for a couple I would say and not for a family with children. But there are some models that are aimed at families with children too. We will write about them!
09 September 2016 - 6:19