Caravanning industry pushes for quick nationwide re-start in tourism

The past weeks have been tough for the caravanning industry. Due to the Corona pandemic, the assembly lines in the factories of the motor caravan and caravan manufacturers came to a standstill, dealerships were no longer allowed to sell or rent out leisure vehicles and due to the ban on tourist travel, there was a yawning emptiness on the camp sites and motor caravan pitches. “Now that the production of motor caravans and caravans is up and running again and dealerships and rental companies are once again feeling an increasing demand for leisure vehicles, it is time that camp sites and motor caravan pitches throughout Germany are also allowed to re-open,” demands Daniel Onggowinarso, Managing Director of the CIVD. The industry association, therefore, greatly appreciates the decision of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia as the first federal states to allow holidays with motor caravans and caravans again from next Monday on. The CIVD also welcomes the fact that other federal states have already joined the re-start in tourism by the end of May with concrete, multi-stage plans.

Individual and self-sufficient – caravanning particularly safe in the current situation
The association’s Managing Director Onggowinarso explains why caravanning tourism in particular can and should be made possible again: “Caravanning is a form of holiday that is particularly safe in the current situation. One travels individually and only with people from one’s own household and, thanks to one’s own cooking and sanitary facilities, is at home practically everywhere and therefore largely self-sufficient”. In addition, the CIVD has worked out a corona protection concept with competent partners such as the German Tourism Association DTV, which can be implemented on many camp sites and motor caravan pitches. “The containment of the pandemic and the protection of the health of holidaymakers continue to have top priority. Our recommendations show that caravanning holidays and protection against infection are not mutually exclusive, but go hand in hand,” Onggowinarso explains.

Re-start before Whitsun important impulse for a battered economy
Many caravanning enthusiasts also see it that way, as the dealers have been feeling increasing interest in this form of holiday since the re-opening two weeks ago. “The demand for new and used motor caravans and caravans was well as rental vehicles is there, but most customers ask the same simple question ‘Where can we travel?'”, reports Oliver Waidelich, Managing Director of the German association of leisure vehicle dealers DCHV. The fact that camp sites and motor caravan pitches will be able to welcome campers again in May is essential for the industry, as the start of the camping season at Easter has already fallen victim to the corona virus. It is, therefore, all the more important that the important Whitsun business is not lost as well. The re-start would also provide an important impulse for the German economy, which is currently hard hit, because contrary to old clichés, scientific studies have shown that motor caravan and caravan owners have particularly high purchasing power and are keen to consume. Their consumption during holidays of around 14 billion euros per year in Germany alone benefits not only the operators of camp sites and motor caravan pitches, but also retailers, the catering industry and a wide range of sports, leisure and entertainment service providers – in other words, above all industries and businesses that are particularly affected by the Corona pandemic.