The European caravanning industry continued its upward trajectory in 2024, with new registrations of leisure vehicles rising by 5.2% compared to the previous year.
This growth highlights the sustained demand for caravanning across the continent, with over 221,000 motor caravans and caravans registered last year.
While the motor caravan segment drove much of this increase, the caravan segment experienced stable performance despite a slight decline, as reported in a press release.
Germany maintained its position as the largest caravanning market in Europe, accounting for 96,392 new registrations—a 6.7% increase over the previous year.
France, the second-largest market, reported 33,783 new registrations, reflecting a 7.6% rise. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom saw a significant 10.4% growth, with 28,011 units registered.
Jost Krüger, secretary general of the European Caravan Federation (ECF), emphasized the industry’s stability and resilience, stating:
“Since 2018, the number of annual new registrations has remained consistently above 200,000, which underlines the remarkable continuity of the European market in the long term.”
The motor caravan segment emerged as a key driver of growth, recording a total of 160,467 new registrations—a notable 9.6% increase.
Germany led the segment with 74,718 units, marking a 9.1% rise, while France and the UK followed with 26,396 and 16,567 registrations, respectively. The UK’s 36% growth in this segment underscored its strong performance within the European market.
In contrast, the caravan segment saw a 4.7% decline, with 60,865 new registrations across Europe.
Germany recorded 21,674 caravan registrations, a marginal 1% decrease, while the UK experienced a sharper decline of approximately 13%, with 11,400 units registered. Notably, the Netherlands bucked the trend with a 6.1% increase, registering 7,192 caravans.
For industry professionals, these trends underscore shifting consumer preferences toward motor caravans, presenting opportunities for manufacturers and retailers to align offerings with market demand.
The resilience of the caravanning industry, even amid economic challenges, offers a promising outlook for 2025. Krüger noted, “This positive development gives the industry good reason to look ahead to the caravanning year 2025 with confidence.”