Even if the production lines of the caravanning manufacturers came to a standstill in the spring, the German trade association CIVD once again presented record sales figures and cracked the six-figure barrier for the first time in the overall balance.
When the Caravaning Industry Association Germany (CIVD) had drawn up its annual balance sheet over the past decade, it always had record numbers to report. No one would have thought that this could also be the case after the Corona year 2020 during the first lockdown in spring, when the production lines sometimes stood still for weeks. And even less that after the first easing, there was a real run on the motorhomes. The result: For the first time ever, over 100.000 leisure vehicles were registered in Germany within one year. Exactly 107.203 units are an increase of 32,6 percent over the previous year. The lion's share with the new record of 78.055 registrations (+ 44,8 percent) went to the account of the mobile homes. But the caravans also grew faster than in previous years with 29.148 vehicles (+ 8,2 percent).
The used car market also set a record with 171.153 changes in ownership (+ 9,7 percent) and is largely grazed after 94.493 motorhomes and 79.660 caravans that changed hands.
With the exorbitant growth in leisure vehicles, Germany alone is also responsible for almost half of the total European registrations of 234.843 units, which is the second-best annual result to date. On the other hand, the countries more severely affected by the pandemic, Great Britain, France and Spain had to give up. With a minus of 20 percent, the British are even losing their top position in caravans.
The growth has definitely brought new groups of buyers to the German caravanning industry. “In the past, caravanning was considered stuffy for many. It's cool today, ”said CIVD President Hermann Pfaff, explaining the arrival of a significantly younger clientele. "According to a GFK study, the 20 to 30-year-olds are now the age group with the greatest affinity for caravanning." Since younger buyers and tenants are particularly interested in compact and manoeuvrable vehicles, the segment of camper vans and panel vans has also increased disproportionately . Almost every second motorhome (47,5 percent) now comes from this category. This is followed by the semi-integrated (37,5 percent), the integrated (9,8 percent) and the alcove vehicles, which have shrunk to five percent and are particularly in demand in the rental business.
Since the order books are also full for 2021 and customers have to wait up to a year for their dream vehicle, Hermann Pfaff expects another record year for 2021. He predicts an overall increase of ten percent to around 118.000 vehicles and again the strongest growth in motorhomes. Unless Corona would thwart the bill, it assumes 87.400 mobile homes (plus 12 percent) and 30.600 caravans (plus 5 percent).
