First quarter: positive start to the year for private registrations – decline in new commercial registrations

Frankfurt am Main, 16. April 2025

In the first quarter of 2025, a total of 21,630 new leisure vehicles were registered in Germany – a decrease of 12.9 per cent compared to the same period last year. At 4,741 units, new caravan registrations were around 5.7 per cent below the previous year’s level, while the motor caravan segment recorded a drop of 14.7 per cent and a total of 16,889 registrations. The main reason for the overall decline is the fall in commercial registrations. In contrast, demand from private buyers remains at a high level and exceeded the previous year’s result.

The first quarter of 2025 paints a mixed picture for the caravanning industry in Germany: Overall, new registrations of leisure vehicles were down on the same period of the previous year – both for caravans and motor caravans. While the decline in caravans was comparatively moderate with a drop of only around 289 units, the motor caravan segment recorded a decline of almost 15 per cent. The compact camper van segment was particularly affected, with registration figures down significantly on the previous year.

New commercial registrations are the main reason for the overall decline in registrations. The registration of rental vehicles by the caravanning trade has been delayed this year – due in particular to the late Easter date, which has pushed back the start of the rental season. These registrations will probably be reflected in the April figures. In addition, some of the young companies in the sector that specialise in vehicle rental have invested less in their rental pools this spring.Despite declining figures in the commercial sector, there are also encouraging developments: The numerous well-attended spring trade fairs throughout Germany underline the continuing high level of consumer interest in mobile travelling. This positive trend is also reflected in new registrations in the private customer segment, which in March, for example, exceeded the previous year’s high level by more than four per cent. Further evidence of the unbroken demand is the used vehicle market: In the first three months of the year, a total of over 39,000 used caravans and motor caravans changed hands, once again reaching the very high level of registrations in the previous year.

These developments make the industry confident about the rest of the year, as CIVD Managing Director Daniel Onggowinarso explains: “The decline in new commercial registrations in the first quarter did not come as a surprise, as the industry had already expected a slow start due to the late Easter date, among other things. At the same time, the good registration figures in the private market, the high demand in the used segment and the great visitor interest at the spring trade fairs show that caravanning continues to be highly relevant for German holidaymakers. Against the backdrop of the current economic and political uncertainties, this development is a positive signal at the start of the year, underlining the continued attractiveness of the industry and caravanning as a form of holiday.”

For further information about caravanning, please visit our web site:

www.civd.de (where there are also photos available for downloading.) and caravaning.info

About Caravaning Industrie Verband e. V.
Caravaning Industrie Verband (CIVD) is the trade association for the industrial arm of the German caravanning sector. Our members include German and European caravan and motor caravan manufacturers, numerous caravan and motor caravan supply vendors and service providers, as well as public institutions and associations. Founded in 1962, CIVD represents the interests of the German caravanning industry for all matters of concern to its members, through lobbying and other communication measures directed at German and European political institutions and government authorities. The CIVD is also the ideal sponsor for Caravan Salon, the world’s largest caravanning industry trade show. In this capacity CIVD plays a pivotal role in promoting the progress and development of the European caravanning industry.