Netl-camping Kallumaan in Kraggenburg hosted the 'Campervan Days' for the third time on April 11 and 12. During this event, Dutch camper manufacturers presented their latest models. It was the third edition, this time organized in collaboration with the NKC, the Dutch Camper Club. The target group of compact campers is strongly on the rise and is certainly an interesting segment for Dutch campsites.
More than a thousand visitors were informed about the latest innovations in the compact camper segment. During a lecture program, the designers and builders themselves explained how they arrived at inventive solutions. Why is interest in compact campers increasing?
A sector full of innovations
Fifteen suppliers of compact campers had come to Camping Kullumaan to showcase their latest interior applications. The optimism regarding growth could be inferred from the number of exhibitors, including Overland Campers, Outbase Campervans, Tonke, VAN-Jorn, Ventje, Woodpeckers Campers, Aart Camperinbouw, Next Route, Innova Campers, Happy Wheels Campers, Vantrack, Amstervan, Amigo Campers, and Hop Custom Campers. The builders had incorporated practical interior ideas into camper models from VW, Mercedes, Ford, and Hymer that make life in small spaces and on the road in rugged terrain more pleasant. The range of campers from VW-ID-buzz was noteworthy; this type was clearly overrepresented. Many clever storage and folding solutions could be admired, such as the application of induction cooking. Furthermore, we are seeing the development where most interior applications inside the camper can also be used flexibly outdoors, such as chairs and tables, etc.
Interest in compact models is growing
The trend heard from both builders and visitors was that more and more owners of larger campers are interested in smaller, compact models. Several arguments were mentioned. One of the most frequently heard was that a compact model, such as the 'Ventje' type based on a VW bus, can also simply be used as a daily vehicle for commuting and grocery shopping. Furthermore, this type is more maneuverable, for example in narrow city streets.
Frank Westland, owner of 'Ventje'. “Expenses such as insurance and road tax are lower, and due to the compact size, you also benefit from favorable toll and ferry rates. Three-quarters of Ventje owners also use the bus as a car.” The government has since somewhat curtailed the tax benefits; the discount has been reduced from a quarter to half of the costs.
Martin Budding, ambassador for Aart Camperinbouw: “For me, it was a great event because I sold a camper,” he says with a laugh. “Indeed, I also have the feeling that compact is popular, especially among the over-50s, the pre-retirees...” He is standing in front of a compact camper that falls somewhere between a van and a Land Rover. “This is the Land Rover among vans. I think the growth came after corona.”
Self-sufficient
In his lecture, Frank Westland of Ventje particularly emphasized the aspect of self-sufficiency. He linked this to the feeling of being free and independent, an idea cherished by many camper owners. “In principle, you can park anywhere. We also want to be able to be stand-alone regarding energy and water supply. Solar panels are installed on the roof of our new VW ID model, allowing us to offer induction cooking as an option.” Ventje is currently one of the larger compact camper manufacturers. We originated 15 years ago from a sort of hobby. We are expanding with branches in Germany and Belgium. Frank Westland explained that, in principle, one basic version has been developed for the compact model, which contains various modules.
Growth market compact
Tim Broekhoven, director of 'Outbase', has also taken the VW ID-buzz as the starting point for his interior design. “I am an interior architect and trained at, among other places, the Hout-en Meubileringscollege in Rotterdam. We work closely with Pon Automobielbedrijven, the importer of the ID-buzz.”
All in all, conversations between visitors and designers and builders reveal that compact camper owners use their campers not only on vacation but also in daily life, and easily park them in the parking lot at home or the supermarket. Consequently, they do not require extra storage. Furthermore, it emerged that several owners are willing to have their relatively dated campers upgraded by professionals to a more contemporary look and feel. That, too, is an interesting market.
NKC benefits from growth
The NKC, the Dutch Camper Club, was founded in 1976 by a group of campervan builders. With over 65.000 members, it is the largest association in this field. It represents the interests of its members and provides advice on matters including insurance and legal disputes. In addition, the NKC manages a database of camper sites. Members often receive discounts on campsites in the Netherlands and Europe. It is a professional organization with permanent staff, volunteers, and its own magazine, Kampeerauto. Margo van Doorn, Travel Manager: “In general, we can state that the camper market as a whole is growing; currently, there are around 210.000 campers. Various events are planned for our anniversary year. We will soon be putting our volunteers in the spotlight.” An anniversary issue of the member magazine 'Kampeerauto' will be published in July. During the Campervan Days, Hannah's Hymer demonstrated how a Camper Podcast is made.
more information: www.nkc.nl
More information about the event: www.campervandays.nl
With thanks to (report on this event): Frits van Wolveren, freelance editor in recreation and tourism