Camping Trade World – Issue 09

C O N N E C T I N G T H E G L O B A L C A M P I N G I N D U S T R Y 

ISSUE 09 | CAMPINGTRADEWORLD.COM

WELCOME 


ISSUE 09 | CAMPINGTRADEWORLD.COM 

MEET THE TEAM 

DAVID GUEST 

EDITOR 

David has worked in B2B publishing since 2006 and has edited 

several major titles in that time. He has also worked on the UK’s 

biggest consumer camping magazine, Camping & Caravanning. A 

keen camper and outdoorsman, David will bring you the very latest 

international industry news. 

david.guest@dhpub.co.uk 

JUSTIN FOX 

PUBLISHER 

Justin is hugely experienced in publishing and oversees the running 

of all of David Hall Publishing’s titles, which includes not only B2B 

titles, but also some enthusiast consumer brands too. Justin’s 

organisational and sales skills are invaluable to the business. 

justin@dhpub.co.uk 

WILLEM BONNEUX 

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

Fluent in several languages, Willem is hugely experienced in 

helping outdoor industry brands realise their global communication 

ambitions. He has a broad background in sales, marketing and key 

account management. 

willem.bonneux@dhpub.co.uk 

GUIDO KNEGT 

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

Guido has a wealth of experience in helping companies grow their 

international export businesses. He speaks numerous languages 

and is well-known for going that extra mile for all of his international 

customers. 

guido.knegt@dhpub.co.uk 

MARK GRAFTON 

DESIGNER 

Mark is the man who takes our essential trade info and turns it into 

something beautiful. A freelance designer with more than 20 years of 

experience as a magazine and digital designer, we trust him to make 

us look good. 

housegrafton@gmail.com 

PAUL EVANS 

ART EDITOR 

Paul is the Art Editor of our publishing house and he runs the rule 

over the creative direction of our titles. He has worked in the company 

since 2008 and keeps our vision in focus. 

RECONNECTING THE CHAIN 

T 

■here’s no doubt about it: 

the caravanning and RV 

industry is facing one 

of its most difficult challenges 

in living memory. Despite the 

pastimes being more popular 

than ever all around the world, 

the disruption to the supply 

chain and a shortage of raw 

materials is severely hampering 

our progress as an industry. At 

the moment, we seem to be 

able to ride the wave, with the 

interest in camping being so 

high that consumers seem happy 

to consider leisure vehicle types 

not necessarily their first choice. 

Evidence of that comes from 

Germany (read more on pages 

22-23) where, despite the drop 

in new motorhomes registered 

due to the fact that vehicle 

chassis are becoming very hard 

to get a hold of, the country has 

seen an increase in registrations 

of caravans and towable 

campers. Experts in Germany 

reckon that the market would 

have achieved unprecedented 

record levels in 2022 had it not 

been for the supply chain issues. 

It might not seem like such 

a bad problem, but this high 

demand won’t be here forever, 

and we simply have to make the 

most of it while it is. A host of 

leisure vehicle manufacturers 

have been chopping and 

changing their base vehicle 

providers in an attempt to stay 

on top of the problem, but with 

it being industry wide, these are 

surely only temporary fixes. All 

we can really do is be modest 

with our predictions and try 

not to let too many partners 

and customers down by being 

ignorant to the challenges we 

face. 

It would be remiss of 

me not to mention the 

upcoming Caravan Salon 

show in Düsseldorf, Germany. 

Throughout the pages of 

this issue, you’ll find some 

interesting companies who will 

be there with products and 

services that are well worth a 

few minutes of your time when 

you visit the event. It will be 

Camping Trade World’s second 

visit to the show, and we can’t 

wait to reconnect with the 

folks we met last year, and also 

make some new connections 

too. If you want to arrange an 

appointment with us, please 

feel free to send me an email at 

david.guest@dhpub.co.uk – I 

look forward to seeing many of 

you there. 

Enjoy the issue, 

David Guest 

02 | www.campingtradeworld.com

CONTENTS 

10 

14 

18 

26 

58 

BASECAMP 

06-13 Our usual round-up of the latest happenings in the 

industry – what will you learn from the latest news? 

THE DETAIL 

14-16 We visited the UK’s Outdoor Trade Show in Liverpool to 

see the latest camping and outdoor products. 

18-19 New data from the European Outdoor Group shows that 

the outdoor industry bounced back from COVID very well 

indeed, with camping at the forefront. 

20-21 When one of Germany’s biggest leisure vehicle 

manufacturers says it has revolutionised the way it makes 

chassis, you sit up and listen. Here’s the scoop. 

22-23 The supply chain disruption is wreaking chaos across the 

industry, but despite that, Germany continues to be strong. 

24-25 Should the UK develop European-style motorhome aire 

stopovers? Boss of Pitchup.com, Dan Yates, believes it should. 

FEATURES 

26-31 The RV market in the USA is simply huge. We give you 

an overview in our Doing Business With feature, complete 

with insight from industry insiders. 

32-35 It’s that time of year again: Caravan Salon Düsseldorf. 

Read our show preview for everything you need to know. 

36-37 We find out why RV fan and heating provider Caframo 

has its sights set on global growth. 

38-39 Our interview with Samantha Reinhold and Gerard 

Vredenburg from German firm Peggy Peg. 

40-41 SuperSprings reveals how one of its lesser-known products 

is causing a stir in the leisure vehicle market. 

42-43 Fresh from winning two major awards, German battery 

brand LIONTRON has some big plans for the remainder 

of 2022 and beyond. 

44-45 A new series of portable power solutions from German 

brand Bosswerk looks set to change the way campers go 

off-grid around Europe. 

46-47 Missed an issue of Camping Trade World? Access all of our 

back issues from these pages. 

48-53 We take a closer look at the glamping market in our latest 

Sector Spotlight feature and find it contains a whole world 

of opportunity. 

54-57 Are you doing customer service right? Our marketing 

guru has some top tips to help you improve your overall 

customer experience from top to bottom. 

MAKING CONTACT 

58-63 See some of the latest and greatest products that have hit 

the market in the last two months in our regular product 

highlight section. 


BASE CAMP 

Photos: NCC Events 

UK READY FOR ROUND TWO 

■fter the sell-out success of its sister 

event in February, tickets are now 

J 

available for the UK’s Motorhome 

and Caravan Show event at the National 

Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. 

The show, which is billed as the country’s 

largest showcase of leisure vehicles, takes 

place from 18 to 23 October and will host 

brands from around Europe showcasing 

models across its 11 halls. Visitors can 

expect to see new-for-2023 campervans, 

caravans, motorhomes, trailer tents and 

more - with over 1,000 models on display. 

Guests will be invited to step inside and 

physically compare the different layouts, 

fixtures and finishes of all that’s on offer 

in their search for the perfect Leisure 

Vehicle - as well as getting their questions 

answered by the leading manufacturers and 

top dealers, including Adria, Auto-Trail, 

Bailey of Bristol, Brownhills, Carthago, 

Coachman, Compass, Elddis, Erwin Hymer 

Group, Groupe Pilote, Lowdhams, Marquis, 

Rapido, Swift Group and many more. 

The Motorhome and Caravan Show is 

run by NCC Events, which also hosts the 

Camping, Caravan and Motorhome show 

at the same venue in February each year. 

NCC’s marketing director, Karen Dodd, 

said: “After the successful return of the 

February Show following the pandemic, we 

couldn’t be more over the moon to announce 

the Motorhome and Caravan Show will be 

back at the NEC this coming October, and 

it will be bigger and better than ever! The 

interest in staycations, campervan, caravan 

and motorhome holidays is huge and we’re 

thrilled to be able to showcase all that’s new 

for 2023 to visitors. As well as over 1,000 

vehicles to explore and accessories to buy, 

there will be plenty of advice and guidance 

for first-time buyers and experienced 

enthusiasts from leading industry experts. 

Plus, inspiration about places to travel to 

and enjoy across the UK and Europe.” 

Tickets for the UK’s biggest Leisure 

Vehicle Show are limited and available 

now and priced at just £12. Children aged 

15 and under go free but still require a 

ticket which must be purchased prior to 

the Show. Parking is included in the ticket 

price. Tickets can be purchased online and 

there will be no tickets available at the door. 

Learn more online at www.mcshow.co.uk 


BASE CAMP 

SPRINKLING INTO NEW 

MARKETS 

One of Australia’s most 

successful RV hot water system 

manufacturers, Aus J Hot Water 

Solutions, is launching a new 

shower system designed to cater 

to the growing and changing 

demands of the camping 

market. The Sydney-based 

company has revealed the EZY 

RV external shower point outlet 

– a robust and versatile new 

product that fits many major 

global brands of RV water 

systems as well as Aus J’s own 

international ranges. 

“That way users can choose 

to cost-efficiently build an 

outlet system tailored to their 

individual needs or chose the 

complete boxed EZY RV set 

in which we have included 

top-of the-market materials, 

ergonomics and usability features 

throughout. It represents the 

cream of our experience working 

with RV OEM producers 

globally,” said Aus J Hot 

Water Solutions’ designer and 

managing director, Jay King. 

“We find many RV DIY 

people like to customerbuild 

their own system from 

individual components, while 

others (particularly newer RV 

adventurers, including younger 

▲ A shower that opens doors 

to new markets from Aus J. 

couples, travellers with pets, and 

independent women RV users) 

prefer to be supplied with all 

components in one EZY RV set. 

the set can provide top choices 

from the one boxed set.” 

The boxed EZY RV external 

shower point outlet set features 

a large shower head for better 

feel and water coverage, push 

and turn activation, a lockoff 

trigger, simple and secure 

clamps to attach to the outside 

of an RV, a two-metre shower 

hose, adjustable handle to 

control temperature, and a 

durable netted bag for storage 

when not in use. Jay and the 

Aus J team are hoping to 

expand the company’s network 

of global distributors with this 

product, which they see as 

having great scope in Australia, 

the Americas, Europe and Asia. 

To find out more, visit: 

www.ausj.com.au 

BANKING ON THE LEISURE 

VEHICLE MARKET 

A motorhome or a caravan is an 

expensive purchase. More often 

than not, people need to rely 

on financing or loans to be able 

to complete their purchase of 

such a vehicle. That fact has not 

escaped the attention of growing 

financial service provider FCA 

Bank, which has been making 

a concerted effort to target 

the fast-growing caravan and 

motorhome market in Europe. 

The company has signed several 

significant partnerships with 

motorhome manufacturers this 

year so far, including German 

brand Carthago and also 

French company the Rapido 

Group, which actually involved 

the creation a company called 

Rapido Groupe Finance in 

collaboration with Credit 

Agricole Consumer Finance. 

FCA has also made similar 

agreements with Knaus Tabbert 

and Concorde, meaning that it 

now covers almost half of the 

overall motorhome market. We 

daresay this won’t be the last 

of this kind of news you read 

this year. 

INDUSTRY INSIDERS 

IN THIS ISSUE 

Why the UK should be 

considering installing 

European-style aires for 

motorhomes according to 

Dan Yates, boss of one of 

the world’s largest online 

camping booking platforms 

Pitchup.com P24 

Jarod Lippert, VP of 

marketing and PR at one 

of the world’s biggest RV 

product suppliers Lippert, 

gives us his view on the 

current state of the market 

in the United States. P31 

▲ FCA’s deal with Rapido is the latest of several it has made in the leisure vehicle market this year. 

Why you can’t afford to 

miss visiting Peggy Peg at 

this year’s Caravan Salon, 

according to the company’s 

export and marketing 

manager Samantha 

Reinhold. P38 

www.campingtradeworld.com | 07

BASE CAMP 

‘APPY’ CAMPERS 

■his is connected 

world. Like it or 

T 

not, consumers 

have become used to and 

often expect some kind of 

connectivity with products 

that just 10 years ago would 

never have had any. Creating 

an app has therefore become 

an important part of being a 

modern business. The latest 

player in the RV industry 

to pick up on this trend is 

leading American manufacturer 

Winnebago Industries – the 

company has just launched 

a new mobile app on iOS 

and Android for owners of 

its products. Winnebago says 

the app will give consumers 

a secure platform to learn 

more about their vehicle’s 

key features and to find 

service providers – it has 

been designed to give greater 

piece of mind to RV users. 

Winnebago’s director of digital 

customer engagement, Kim 

Weckert, said: “This app gives 

customers the information they 

need right at their fingertips 

to own and operate their RVs. 

With a greater understanding 

of their vehicle systems and 

service needs, owners can travel 

with ease and more fully enjoy 

the benefits of RV ownership.” 

Among other things, the app 

contains how-to videos, owner 

manuals, service locators and 

even maintenance checklists – 

essentially everything an RV 

user needs in one convenient 

spot. While Winnebago is 

not the first RV brand to 

release such an app, creating 

digital extensions of your 

products is becoming so 

commonplace that consumers 

may now even feel a little 

short-changed if there isn’t one 

available, especially on high 

price products. It may not be 

something you’ve ever thought 

of before, but perhaps your 

business could really benefit 

from having a digital arm? 

SECOND HAND SERVICE 

With the hardships being faced 

by manufacturers in terms of 

the supply chain, the time has 

never been better for many 

consumers to consider buying 

a used leisure vehicle instead of 

a brand new one. Second-hand 

caravans and motorhomes have 

been doing a good trade in these 

last few years, but there is still 

some scepticism from consumers 

about buying used. So, how do 

we confront that and keep the 

wheels of the industry turning? 

One idea has come from British 

motorhome dealer Erwin Hymer 

Centre Travelworld, which has 

just launched an approved used 

programme it calls Elevation X. 

The idea behind is to offer used 

motorhome buyers the same 

reassurances and confidence 

that they can expect when 

buying new buy offering a 

10-point promise that covers 

preparation, presentation and 

aftersales support. Nick Barker, 

sales manager at Travelworld, 

explained: “We’re delighted to be 

able to announce our Elevation 

X programme. We have given a 

lot of thought to the used vehicle 

market and the advantages of 

buying from Travelworld, a 

multi award winning family 

business with almost 50 years of 

excellence. We are committed 

to raising industry standards by 

providing a first-class service to 

ensure vehicles are completely 

safe and looking as new as they 

leave our showroom and begin 

their new lives.” 

As well as the 10-point 

promise, which covers chassis, 

habitation, detailing and 

assurance, Elevation X will 

also offer extended warranties, 

tailorable finance and even a 

courtesy car. Again, none of this 

is revolutionary, but anything 

we can do to help consumers 

buy with confidence can only 

be a good thing we can all take 

something from. 

▲ Travelworld’s Elevation X programme delivers peace of mind. 


BASE CAMP 

MOVERS AND SHAKERS 

The who’s who of hires and promotions 

Leading British caravan and motorhome 

manufacturer Bailey of Bristol has 

appointed Nicky Kirkwood to its board 

as a non-executive director. Nicky brings 

a wealth of leadership and advisory 

experience to Bailey having worked 

extensively on large scale business 

transformations and changes throughout 

her career. Leading American RV 

manufacturer Winnebago Industries 

has announced several senior leadership 

team changes. Amber Holm is joining 

the company as senior vice president, 

chief marketing officer, Sri Koneru has 

been promoted to senior vice president, 

chief information officer, and Chad 

Reece has been promoted to vice 

president, government and industry 

relations. Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the 

Volkswagen brand and member of the 

board of management for the volume 

brand group has been named as the 

new chairman of the advisory board 

at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles 

(VWCV). Innovative RV and vehicle 

suspension provider SuperSprings 

International (SSI) has announced that 

former chief commercial officer, Adam 

Weisner, has been promoted to the 

position of president of the company. 

Adam has been with SSI since August 

2018, and in that time has been an 

instrumental driver in the company’s 

rapid growth curve, growing revenue 

by almost three times and net profit 

by almost four times. One of Europe’s 

biggest producers of motorhomes 

and caravans, Erwin Hymer Group 

(EHG), has announced changes to its 

executive management team that will 

see Alexander Leopold replace Martin 

Brandt as the company’s CEO. Martin, 

who will continue to support EHG in a 

non-executive role, has decided to step 

down as CEO to devote more time to his 

family and private life. Alexander Leopold 

is currently chairman of the management 

board at EHG brand Dethleffs and 

will take over as CEO from 1 July 2022. 

Alexander’s position at Dethleffs will be 

assumed by Bernhard Kibler, head of 

sales operations international at EHG. 

Tell us about your hires and promotions via: 

david.guest@dhpub.co.uk

Photo: Bailey of Bristol 

BASE CAMP 

GREEN MACHINES 

Y 

■ou might get tired of it, but 

we believe that it’s really 

important to give column 

inches to anything any company is 

doing to try and reduce its impact 

on the environment. The more this 

becomes the norm, the better it will 

be for all of us, so when one of the 

UK’s leading caravan and motorhome 

producers Bailey of Bristol announced 

it was switching to a 100 per cent fully 

renewable energy supply, we simply 

had to cover it. From October 2022, 

Bailey will specify a wind, hydro and 

solar power mix for all three of its sites, 

which despite being more expensive, 

will help drastically reduce its carbon 

emissions as a company. 

The company’s managing director, 

Nick Howard, said: “Switching to the 

exclusive use of renewable energy 

supplies is the next important step in 

helping us achieve our sustainability 

▲ Bailey is doing its best to ensure it becomes a carbon neutral company. 

and social responsibility goals. 

“Powering all three of our three 

sites with electricity generated by 

either wind, hydro or solar power in 

future is part of the positive action we 

want to take to help safeguard the 

environment for the future.” 

Bailey has also signed up to the 

Woodland Trust Woodland Carbon 

scheme (WCS) which enables 

companies to capture greenhouse 

gas (GHG) emissions by planting new 

native woodland in the UK, that in time 

will absorb carbon dioxide from the 

atmosphere. Its ultimate aim is to be 

a carbon neutral business, and while 

the road to that achievement may be 

long, you have to start somewhere. Any 

steps we can take as businesses are 

better than no steps. 

PITCH PROGRESS 

With the boom in interest in 

caravanning and motorhoming, 

it is vital that we make sure 

there are enough pitches 

and campgrounds to meet 

the demand. That concern is 

high on the mind of German 

brand Fendt-Caravan, which 

recently partnered with online 

camping booking platform 

AlpacaCamping to try and 

help with the problem. 

Founded just over a year ago 

by Steffen Drews, Simon 

Illner, Christopher Feuerlein 

and Dominik Quambusch, 

AlpacaCamping aims to offer 

a new kind of camping and 

promote sustaibable regional 

tourism with their booking 

platform where farms, wine 

growers, private individuals, 

associations, and municipalities 

can offer unused land areas for 

camping. Furthermore, new 

pitch capacities are created so 

that overcrowded campsites 

Photo: Fendt-Caravan 

▲ Fendt-Caravan will be working in cooperation with Alpaca. 

can be relieved. Anyone can 

create a free user account at 

AlpacaCamping and become a 

guest or host. Fendt-Caravan 

marketing manager, Thomas 

Kamm, said: “As a manufacturer 

of leisure vehicles, we naturally 

always have the issue of pitch 

capacity in mind. For this 

reason, Fendt-Caravan is now 

supporting AlpacaCamping in 

their vision to provide every 

caravaner with as pleasant a 

camping experience as possible.” 

DEALS ON WHEELS 

One of the world’s leading RV 

manufacturers Thor Industries 

has announced a strategic 

investment in deep cycle 

lithium-ion battery producer 

Dragonfly Energy. Leading 

outdoor camping, clothing and 

gear brand Jack Wolfskin has 

announced the acquisition of its 

long-time distributor in Poland, 

FAM Sp. K. The newly formed 

entity will be known as Jack 

Wolfskin Poland Sp. z.o.o. and 

is based in Gynia near Gdansk. 

RV components expert Lippert 

has expanded its repertoire into 

RV tents with the acquisition 

of fellow American company, 

TJ Snuggles Inc – an expert in 

custom tents for expandable RV 

trailers. German caravan and 

motorhome specialist Hobby has 

agreed a long-term cooperation 

with Volkswagen Commercial 

Vehicles (VWCV), with new 

vehicles expected to be displayed 

at Caravan Salon 2022. 


AROUND THE WORLD 

UNITED STATES 

Two of the United States’ most iconic RV 

names Thor Industries and Winnebago 

Industries have both reported record Q3 

results in their latest financial figures. Thor 

Industries reported net sales of $4.66 billion 

(up 34.6 per cent on 2021) for the third 

quarter of its fiscal year, while also noting 

a consolidated gross profit margin of 17.3 

per cent. Meanwhile Winnebago Industries 

reported a record $1.5 billion (an increase of 

51.8 per cent compared to 2021) for its fiscal 

year Q3 and also noted a RV retail market 

share gain of 13.2 per cent. The figures 

correlate well with RV Industry Association’s 

latest figures regarding wholesale shipments 

for 2022. To keep up to date with the latest 

figures, visit: www.rvia.org 

01 

Around the world 

Camping and leisure vehicles are a global business, but 

each corner of the world faces its own unique challenges 

and enjoys its own successes. Here’s a snapshot of what’s 

been happening on planet camping the last few months. 

02 

What’s happening 

in your part of the world? 

Contact us today and 

tell us your story: 

david.guest@dhpub.co.uk 

ITALY 

Italy could well be the go-to destination for campers in the summer of 2022, 

according to a survey conducted by the Salone del Camper show in the 

country. Just over 70 per cent of those asked said that they would choose 

Italy as the destination for their summer holidays with more than 43 per 

cent saying that a campsite will be where they stay. The length of time for 

said holidays is likely to be from two weeks (33.65 per cent) or longer (33.72 

per cent) and the most favoured destination being at a coastal campsite 

(56.53 per cent). Traveling tourists in Europe are estimated to be around 20 

million and the circulating fleet of campers and caravans is about 6 million. 

To learn more, check out www.associazioneproduttoricamper.it 


AROUND THE WORLD 

03 

FINLAND 

The motorhome market in Finland looks set to continue its record-breaking form 

in 2022 – in the period from January to May, the country reported than 900 new 

motorhomes had been registered. The level of sales is about level with the figures 

from 2018, which was a particularly good year in the Finnish market, and while the 

sales of new caravans were recorded as being down about 10 per cent, 2022 is still 

expected to be knocking on the door of some records. The only real hurdles that 

traditional motorhomes face in Finland at the moment are the supply issues affecting 

much of Europe and also the increase in urban camper-style touring cars. To learn 

more about the market in Finland, head over to www.liikkuvakoti.fi 

04 

JAPAN 

The RV and camper industry in 

Japan is continuing to search 

for ways in which it can help 

contribute to social issues in 

the country, with the latest 

example being that of Japan 

RV Association member Direct 

Cars Co Ltd. This company has 

just signed an agreement with 

local governments in Tsu City to 

provide campers in the event of a 

disaster to help house people and 

supply aid. The idea is not a new 

one, with several other camper 

manufacturers already striking up 

similar agreements with their local 

city governments, but it makes 

perfect sense as campervans 

can provide excellent, moveable 

shelter and privacy for those that 

may have lost their homes in a 

wide range of natural disasters 

such as earthquakes or tsunamis. 

To find out more, go online to 

www.jrva.com 

05 

GERMANY 

The focus of the caravanning and motorhoming world will be on Germany this summer, 

specifically the city of Dusseldorf. The annual Caravan Salon show will take place in the 

city and will be the first one (we hope) with no restrictions of any kind since the start of 

the pandemic. The show, which will take place from 26 August to 4 September, will enjoy 

one of its biggest ever events in 2022 with more than 600 exhibitors expected to cover 

an area of 250,000sqm in six different halls. Stefan Koschke, project director caravanning 

and outdoor for the show organisers, said: “We are very satisfied that we succeeded in 

convincing many new companies and numerous repeaters of our concept. The exhibition 

area will grow by three halls. We look to this year’s event full of optimism and anticipation.” 

Learn more about the show at: www.caravan-salon.com 

06 

AUSTRALIA 

Industry-first campaign ‘Road 

to a Million’ will unite over 1,420 

participating caravan holiday 

parks and the industry’s largest 

rental fleets in partnership with 

each of the 7-caravan holiday park 

state associations whose support 

made this possible. The ‘Road 

to a Million’ campaign will keep 

camping ‘front of mind’ this winter 

and aims to inspire and motivate 

Australians including the 840,000 

registered RVs to take one more 

or multiple ‘Camping Road Trips’ 

this winter. The campaign will tap 

into the pent-up demand that 

Australians have to holiday in 2022 

and will focus on themes that 

include wellness, reconnection to 

people and nature, experiences 

and adventure, events plus more. 

To find out more about the 

campaign, see 

www.caravanindustry.com.au 


OUTDOOR TRADE SHOW THE DETAIL 

Photos: David Guest 

Exhibitors and visitors 

rejoice in Outdoor 

Trade Show success 

Continuing on the success of last year, the UK’s Outdoor Trade Show once again 

impressed both visitors and exhibitors when it took place in Liverpool this summer. 

Camping Trade World was on hand to get the vibe from the show floor. 


THE DETAIL OUTDOOR TRADE SHOW 

FACTS & FIGURES 

125 

Exhibitors took part 

2,000sqm 

Additional floorspace 

compared to last year 

A 

■fter a disruptive period 

of venue changes and 

then the challenges of 

the COVID-19 pandemic, the 

UK’s Outdoor Trade Show now 

seems settled on the historic 

city of Liverpool as its home 

and dates in June as its best 

position in the calendar. The 

modern and well-equipped 

Exhibition Centre Liverpool 

once again played host to 

this important trade event, 

which attracted more than 120 

exhibitors to its floor from 

the sports, outdoor goods and 

camping industries. The show 

actually increased its floorspace 

by around 2,000sqm this year, 

and of particular interest to 

Camping Trade World was the 

new outdoor tent display area, 

which was taken advantage of 

by brands such as Snow Peak, 

Vango and Dometic. Inside the 

halls and the camping-specific 

brands were probably fewer 

than in 2021, but tents and 

camping related equipment was 

still heavily represented, with 

the likes of Terra Nova, Black 

Diamond, Salewa, and Sierra 

Designs all keen to show off the 

latest products and connect with 

existing and new customers 

alike. 

The show also looked to 

incorporate more social events 

this year, thanks to the lifting 

of all COVID-19 restrictions 

in the UK. There was an official 

OTS social on the Wednesday 

evening during which the 

finalists in nine categories of 

the 2022 UK Outdoor Industry 

Awards were announced and 

the Awards Display area at 

the show attracted a great deal 

of interest from visitors and 

provided a popular feature of 

the show with over 90 products 

on display. The show also 

hosted its usual sustainability 

breakfast, which was well 

attended and supported by 

brands, retailers and the media, 

all keen to hear and learn 

more about sustainability 

initiatives and brand journeys 

towards becoming more carbon 

829 

Individual visitors attended 

17% 

Increase in attendance 

compared to 2021 

24% 

Increase in repeat visitors 

for multiple days 

90 

Products shown in the New 

Product Award area 

24 

Hours of show time 

delivered over three days 


OUTDOOR TRADE SHOW THE DETAIL 

neutral. Andy Schimeck, 

Global Sales Manager for 

Equip Outdoor Technologies 

led the introduction before 

handing over to Outdoor & 

Cycle Concepts, Managing 

Director, Jose Finch and Head 

of Sustainability Melanie 

Gruenwald together with 

Paramo’s Commercial Director, 

Richard Pyne to hear about 

respective CSR initiatives from 

the two organisations. 

Exhibitors and visitors were 

impressed and pleased with the 

way the show was organised and 

the quality of companies and 

individuals there. Sales agent 

for Vasque footwear in the UK, 

Steve Walton from Northcol, 

said: “OTS provided yet again a 

great opportunity to reach our 

current customer base and speak 

to new customers alike. The 

show felt busier than normal 

and was a fantastic meeting 

place to discuss the current state 

of the trade. Liverpool is a 

great location. We will be back 

next year for sure.” 

Meanwhile European general 

manager for Exxel Outdoors, 

Damon Street, was equally 

upbeat about the show: “OTS 

was a fantastic show. We had 

back to back appointments and 

the quality of buyers attending 

was spot on. Aside from it being 

a great opportunity to get in 

front of people, it was great to 

see the trade working together 

and Kelty and Sierra Designs 

will definitely be back in 2023.” 

Chris King, head of sales 

at Ardblair Sports Importers 

Ltd (ASI), said: “For AKU 

and LEKI, ASI had the ideal 

balance of number and quality 

of meetings with retailers and 

media. After many years, it 

feels like the outdoor industry 

has found the right balance of 

limiting the choice of market 

format – shows, showrooms and 

shop visits – in order to make 

OTS the success it is.” 

While Richard Pyne, 

commercial director of Páramo, 

commented: “Many thanks 

to all those involved in the 

organisation of this year’s event. 

It was fantastic to welcome 

everyone to our stand, great 

to meet new faces and reconnect 

with others. Thank you 

to all those who joined us in 

celebrating 30 years of Páramo 

by welcoming Craeciones 

Miquelina into our newly 

formed employee-owned group. 

Here is to the next 30 years!” 

Outdoor Trade Show 

organiser Marta Williams said: 

“We are now firmly established 

at the Liverpool venue and 

securing the venue until 2024 

sends a positive message to the 

whole trade.” The 2023 event 

dates have already been named 

as 13 to 15 June. 


EOG STATE OF TRADE THE DETAIL 

Outdoor sector 

bounces back in style 

New figures from the European Outdoor Group’s (EOG) State of Trade market 

research shows that the sector bounced back very strongly from the COVID-19 

pandemic in 2021, with the best yet to come for companies around the continent. 

N 

■ew data revealed by 

the European Outdoor 

Group’s (EOG) State 

of Trade market research has 

shown what we all pretty much 

knew: the outdoor industry has 

bounced back from the initial 

economic downturn caused 

by COVID-19 in style. Even 

though 2021 still had many 

COVID-related problems, the 

figures for the outdoor industry 

– and specifically camping 

– were very encouraging indeed. 

The study, created with the 

help of the EOG’s market data 

partners, estimated that the 

overall wholesale value of trade 

in the outdoor industry in 2021 

surpassed €6 billion – with 

the tent market accounting 

for about €177 million of that. 

Sleeping bags were responsible 

for €118 million while camping 

and outdoor accessories totted 

up €481 million. The tent 

category’s figures showed a 16 

per cent increase in value and a 

7.6 per cent increase in volume 

when compared to 2020’s 

figures. Sleeping bags and mats 

went up 11 per cent in value and 

9.4 per cent in volume, while 

outdoor accessories jumped 16 

per cent in value and a whopping 

25 per cent in volume. 


THE DETAIL EOG STATE OF TRADE 

▲ The outdoor sector, specifically camping, has shown great resilience to global challenges at a retail level and continues to grow. 

Pauline Shepherd, EOG 

head of market insights, said: 

“It is clear that the outdoor 

sector has excellent underlying 

resilience. In 2021, this allowed 

brands to benefit from the 

public’s increased appetite for 

getting out into nature, which 

was prompted by lockdowns 

around Europe. Our industry 

adapted very well to rapidly 

changing circumstances and 

overall, reaped the rewards as 

restrictions eased. Sustaining 

that boom in participation 

will be tough and along with 

ongoing supply chain issues and 

the increasing cost of living, 

we know that businesses face 

some significant challenges this 

year and beyond. However, the 

outdoor sector is fundamentally 

in robust shape, and can meet 

those challenges from a position 

of relative strength. 

“Along with colleagues at the 

European Outdoor Group, I 

enjoyed talking to the trade in 

person again during the first 

OutDoor by ISPO since 2019. 

It was an excellent opportunity 

to gain a deeper understanding 

of the market development 

from the companies that have 

helped deliver the growth and 

hear different perspectives 

from around Europe about 

the current state of play and 

expectations for the future.” 

The data from this study 

also gave some regional and 

country-by-country breakdowns 

that showed that Germany, 

Austria and the Czech Republic 

(DACH) hold about 35 per 

cent of the market value, with 

Southern Europe (Spain and 

Italy) in second place with 23 

per cent, the UK and Benelux 

in third with 17.7 per cent, 

Scandinavia fourth with 14 

per cent and Eastern Europe 

in fifth with 5.8 per cent. 

The Czech Republic was the 

individual country that showed 

the highest outdoor market 

value change in terms of 

percentage with a 27 per cent 

increase. Hungary was second, 

Italy third, Poland fourth 

and France fifth. The average 

outdoor market value change 

across all countries studied was 

an increase of 19 per cent. This 

means that double digit growth 

was a common theme across 

national markets in Europe in 

the outdoor sector. 

In addition to its annual 

State of Trade European sell-in 

report, the EOG can also draw 

on retail development data 

trends from the Outdoor Retail 

Benchmark Report. The report 

is a like-for-like analysis of the 

aggregated sales development 

of the EOG retail members, 

and as such currently reflects 

the German market. The 

performance of retail sell-out 

was up 17.4 per cent year to 

date to April 2022, compared to 

the same period last year for the 

outdoor segment. 

You can find more on this 

study and the other good work 

that the EOG does at www. 

europeanoutdoorgroup.com 


FRAME TECHNOLOGY THE DETAIL 

Photos: Knaus Tabbert AG 

Knaus Tabbert 

reveals ‘next generation’ 

of caravan frame 

technology 

German leisure vehicle expert Knaus Tabbert has revealed an industry-first new 

caravan frame production technology that sees fibre frame parts automatically 

bonded together eliminating the need for screw connections. 


THE DETAIL FRAME TECHNOLOGY 

▲ The Knaus Tabbert headquarters continues to be known for its innovation and technological advancements in caravans. 

G 

■erman leisure vehicle 

expert Knaus Tabbert 

has revealed a 

pioneering new technology 

for building caravan frames 

that it claims proves its status 

as a leader of innovation in 

the industry. The pioneering 

frame technology is based on 

Fibre Frame parts that are 

automatically bonded together 

to form a stable frame, thus 

eliminating the need for screw 

connections. The frame, which 

is self-supporting and highstrength, 

ensures the best 

stability and durability as well 

as significantly greater flexibility 

in floor plan and room design 

compared to the conventional 

method of building caravans. It 

was presented by the company 

in the form of a full-scale 

caravan model at its recent 2022 

dealer convention. 

Werner Vaterl, COO of 

Knaus Tabbert, explained: “The 

use of frame construction opens 

up numerous possibilities for us 

in the future. The technology 

contributes to greater stability 

and durability and thus also 

to greater value stability and 

sustainability of the vehicles. 

At the same time, the demands 

on precision are extremely 

high. Following our claim 

as innovation leader in the 

industry, we have mastered this 

challenge and can now transfer 

it to series production.” 

At the end of a long vehicle 

life, the frame design offers 

advantages as the materials can 

be separated more easily and 

thus recycled. Knaus Tabbert 

is now bringing it into series 

production of caravans for the 

first time, with the first model 

to feature this technology to be 

known as the Knaus Azur. The 

Azur is a model that has been 

in the range since the 1980s and 

has always stood for quality and 

the most modern technology. 

Its frame consists of 22 fibre 

frame parts bonded together 

by a robot. In addition to the 

manufacturing technology, it is 

characterised by a UV-resistant 

and ‘self-healing’ surface. 

Pressure marks and dents can 

disappear all by themselves 

through the effect of heat alone. 

The frame construction allows 

a very flexible interior concept 

and the integration of new, 

innovative equipment. The new 

Azur combines functionality, 

▲ The new technology was revealed at a live dealer convention. 

cosiness and innovative 

technologies. In addition to 

a circumferential awning rail 

integrated into the surface, 

contour lighting in the sidewall, 

the caravan also has its own 

lighting concept for the interior, 

among other things. Similar 

to the KNAUS motorhomes, 

the furniture is set at an angle, 

resulting in a greater sense of 

space, optimised visual axes and 

a larger lying area. 

Head of plastics and 

composites at Knaus Tabbert, 

Christian Kornexl, said: “Since 

2012, we at Knaus Tabbert have 

been working intensively on 

alternative production methods. 

The Knaus Azur is already the 

third model, which we have 

brought to market readiness in 

frame construction. Compared 

to the predecessor models Knaus 

Travelino (2017) and Knaus 

Deseo (2019), the Knaus Azur 

is particularly impressive due to 

the further development of the 

manufacturing process, which 

is completely implemented inhouse 

and does not require any 

solvents or screw connections on 

the outside.” 


SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS THE DETAIL 

High demand and faltering supply chains: 

The caravan 

industry’s 2022 so far 

The latest figures from the German Caravanning Industry Association 

show that while demand for caravans and motorhomes remains high, 

the industry is being hamstrung by supply chain issues. 

55,202 

(-12.2%) 

NEW LEISURE VEHICLES 

REGISTERED IN 

GERMANY 

40,985 

(-15.9%) 

NEW 

MOTORHOMES 

14,217 

(+0.8%) 

NEW 

CARAVANS 


THE DETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS 

▲ Vehilce chassis are one major stumbling block in the motorhome supply chain at present – a problem that needs a solution. 

S 

■upply chain – these 

are two words that 

strike fear into the 

heart of anyone in the caravan 

and motorhome industry 

right now. A global pandemic 

that still isn’t over, a war in 

Europe, the climate crisis, cost 

of living – all of these things 

are contributing to disruption 

in the supply chain for almost 

all industries, but particularly 

for the manufacture of leisure 

vehicles. It’s a strange situation 

for this industry, as despite 

these challenges, a level of 

demand that is higher than ever 

is softening the blow. 

The perfect example of this 

can be seen in Europe’s most 

important market Germany, 

where its Caravanning Industry 

Association (CIVD) recently 

reported that despite a drop 

of 12.2 per cent in new leisure 

vehicles registered in 2022 at 

the halfway point in the year, 

the figure of 55,202 is still way 

ahead of figures from 2020 

and is the second best result in 

the history of the industry. It’s 

reason enough to celebrate, but 

many including CIVD can’t 

help but wonder what those 

figures might have reached 

without the strains on the 

supply chain. 

The main problem for 

leisure vehicles is a lack of 

vehicle chassis, this has led 

to the motorhome sector of 

the market reporting a 15.9 

per cent decrease on new 

vehicles registered to 40,985 

vehicles, compared to 2021’s 

figure. It is however up on 

2020’s figure of 39,627. While 

traditional motorhomes have 

been hampered by chassis 

issues, the supply situation for 

ultra-compact campervans looks 

better, which has led to this 

market segment increasing. 

CIVD’s managing director, 

Daniel Onggowinarso, said: 

“The shift towards more 

individualized, nature-oriented 

vacations began long before the 

pandemic and will continue to 

influence the travel patterns 

of many people in the future. 

Registration figures for motor 

caravans have risen steadily in 

recent years and would probably 

have reached record levels yet 

again this year had it not been 

for supply chain problems.” 

For towable caravans, the 

figures for the first quarter 

of 2022 showed a significant 

increase of 7.9 per cent for 

new vehicles registers – in part 

because caravans do not rely 

on vehicle chassis to be built. 

However, this vehicle segment 

also experienced an increasing 

number of supply chain-related 

shortfalls toward the summer, 

which is why the 14,217 new 

registrations represent only a 

slight increase of 0.8 per cent. 

Daniel added: “Manufacturers 

producing motor caravans 

and caravans have recently 

increasingly switched to caravan 

production in order to keep 

production busy and meet the 

high demand. However, a lack 

of materials and components 

is also causing increasing 

supply shortages in caravan 

production.” 

So, while there is cause for 

optimism in general with the 

latest figures from Germany, the 

future still looks uncertain with 

some major obstacles still to be 

overcome. Daniel concluded: 

“Reliable predictions are 

currently impossible. The general 

conditions in our industry, like 

in many other sectors of the 

economy, are very volatile due 

to supply chains and global 

crises. We hope that the supply 

situation will improve by the 

summer of next year and, despite 

all the problems, we are looking 

to the future with confidence, 

because the enthusiasm of 

Germans for motor caravans and 

caravans is as strong as ever.” 


UK MOTORHOME AIRES THE DETAIL 

Calls for European-style 

aires in UK to meet growing 

motorhome demand 

Owner and founder of leading outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com, 

Dan Yates, believes the UK could benefit from increasing the number of places for 

motorhomes and campervans to enjoy one-night stopovers. 


THE DETAIL UK MOTORHOME AIRES 

▲ Dan Yates of Pitchup.com believes the UK camping industry would benefit from having some European-style ‘aires’. 

T 

■he United Kingdom 

should be seeking to 

implement a network 

of European-style aires to 

provide one night stopovers 

for its increasing number of 

motorhome and campervan 

users, according to the owner 

of one of the country’s leading 

outdoor accommodation 

specialists. Dan Yates, owner 

and founder of Pitchup.com 

believes there is a gap in the 

market for a network of aires 

in the UK, which could help to 

reduce pressures on overnight 

parking and support local 

economies. 

“Meeting the growing 

demand could bring substantial 

benefits to communities too,” 

said Dan. 

“Aires can provide muchneeded 

income for farmers in 

rural areas, bring cash into the 

local economy in towns, and 

also ensure that owners of these 

vehicles have somewhere safe 

and responsible to park.” 

The Campaign for Real Aires 

(CAMpRA) was established 

to lobby for more aires in the 

UK, and provides a central 

source of information on how 

towns and small businesses can 

benefit from the year-round 

revenue stream by providing 

simple overnight parking and 

waste points. A spokesman 

for CAMpRA said: “British 

motorhome owners returning 

from Europe ask one question - 

‘why does the UK not have the 

same aires (motorhome parking) 

system as Europe?’ 

“We are decades behind 

Europe and we have a huge 

gap in the UK market for 

the provision of motorhome 

tourism facilities, aires, that will 

help keep British motorhomes 

and their spending power here, 

and attract more European 

motorhome owners to this 

country.” 

The Highland Council 

in Scotland pioneered the 

use of aires last summer, 

when it was believed to be 

the first local authority in 

the UK to temporarily relax 

planning regulations to enable 

landowners with suitable sites 

to provide continental-style 

motorhome stopovers. The 

council said it was adapting 

to the significant increase of 

motorhome ownership in the 

UK and the demand for selfcontained 

holidays which had 

intensified during the Covid 

pandemic and which was 

creating significant pressures for 

safe overnight parking in rural 

communities. 

And Gwynedd Council 

in Wales recently received 

funding from the Welsh 

Government for its “Arosfan” 

project. This will see it 

upgrade assets such as public 

car parks in six destinations 

across Gwynedd to develop a 

network of locations that will 

create legitimate provision for 

‘overnight’ parking and sleeping 

throughout the year for the 

purpose of motor homes in 

the county. In order to support 

the local economy, all six sites 

will be located within walking 

distance to key towns and 

destinations, will have basic 

services and will operate a 

strict 48-hour maximum stay. 

It is hoped the sites will be 

operational by spring 2023, and 

if successful they could pave the 

way for more in the future. 

A GROWING MOTOR- 

HOME POPULATION 

The UK’s National Caravan 

Council (NCC) said that 

16,608 new motorhomes 

were registered with 

the Driver and Vehicle 

Licensing Agency (DVLA) 

in the 12 months from 1 

July 2020 to the end of 

June 2021. This represented 

an 8.25 per cent increase 

on the previous record, 

which was achieved in 

the 2018/19 period. The 

boom has been attributed 

to Covid restrictions on 

travel, the ability to carry 

out other outdoor pursuits 

while on a campervan 

holiday, and the 

prevalence of WiFi internet 

connectivity on sites that 

allows people who have 

been working from home 

to work from anywhere. 


USA DOING BUSINESS WITH... 

DOING 

BUSINESS 

WITH... 

The USA 

The United States of America is one of the world’s biggest producers and consumer 

markets for RVs and camping equipment. A simply huge range of manufacturers, 

wholesalers, retailers and more call this enormous and vibrant market home. 


DOING BUSINESS WITH... USA 

F 

■or a number of years, the 

RV and camping market 

in the United States has 

been a great barometer for the 

overall state of play on a global 

level. The market is one of the 

world’s largest, most significant, 

and most influential. So, if things 

are going well in the USA, then 

generally speaking, the pattern 

will follow on around the world. 

It is home to some of the biggest 

names in the industry (THOR, 

Winnebago and Lippert), and 

also some of the largest umbrella 

companies, which in turn own 

brands and other manufacturers 

around the world. It is also a 

market with an extremely strong 

and well developed retail sector – 

both in the RV world with dealers 

and dealer chains, and also in 

camping with independent and 

huge chain outdoor groups like 

REI. Because of this, companies 

from countries outside the USA 

can sometimes look towards 

the country as a golden bullet 

that will transform their export 

tremendously. Of course, the 

potential for that is there, but 

as with any highly developed 

market, it is highly competitive, 

possibly even a little overcrowded, 

so getting the attention of new 

partners there can be a challenge. 

ALL ROADS LEAD TO 

ELKHART 

The relatively small and humble 

city of Elkhart in Indiana may 

not look much at first glance, 

but this unsuspecting settlement 

is pretty much the heartbeat of 

the American RV industry. It 

is estimated that about 75 per 

cent of global RV production 

takes place in Elkhart, and at 

one time it was home to more 

than 100 different RV brands. It 

is estimated that today there are 

almost 40 manufacturers here 

including names such as Keystone, 

Grand Design RV, Newmar RV, 

Winnebago Towables, Thor Motor 

Coach, Jayco, and Renegade RV 

▲ Airstream could be one of America’s most iconic RVs. 

to name just a few. The town is 

also home to the RV Hall of Fame 

Museum and Library and hosts 

two largescale events each year: 

the Midwest RV Super Show and 

the Indy RV Expo. If you are to 

go to one place on a recconasaince 

mission to understand more about 

the RV market in the USA, then 

Elkhart simply has to be on your 

list. 

CAMPING PARADISE 

While RVs clearly take the 

mainstay of the market in 

the USA, tent camping and 

other kinds of campers are still 

incredibly popular. America’s huge 

national parks and swathes of 

public land in beautiful scenery 

make it the ideal place for people 

to take up camping freely and 

easily. This is backed up by the 

simply staggering number of 

campsites and campgrounds 

around the nation – one of 

the biggest chains of which is 

Kampgrounds of America (KOA). 

This organisation consists of 

more than 525 franchised and 

owned campgrounds, making 

it the largest organisation of its 

kind in the world. KOA conducts 

annual research on the camping 

market and it has learned that 

active camper households in 

North America have grown from 

71,472,820 in the year 2014 to 

93,819,400 in the year 2021. 

Clearly there are many people new 

to camping in the United States 

in the last few years, KOA also did 

some research to understand who 

this new camper is and revealed 

data from 2021 that showed 57 

per cent of new campers want 

to try RVing, 56 per cent prefer 

tent camping, 54 per cent are 

millennials, 54 per cent are nonwhite 

campers and 51 per cent 

want to try glamping. Clearly, 

understanding this new camper 

and catering to their needs and 

wants will be key for the future 

of both the camping and RV 

industry – it is a challenge that the 

industry as a whole is very aware 

of and very focused on making 

sure it gets right. Despite the size 

and continued success of this 

industry in the USA, there is no 

room for complacency. 

FACT FILE 

Capital: Washington D.C. 

Population: 331,800,000 

Dialling code: +1 

President: Joe Biden 

Official languages: 

English 

Time zones: 

UTC-4 to UTC-10 

Currency: U.S. dollar 

Internet domain: .com 

ECONOMY IN FOCUS 

$25.3 trillion 

GDP (USD) 

$76,000 

GPD per capita (USD) 

2.5% 

GDP growth 

3.6% 

unemployment 

TOP IMPORT PARTNERS: 

China 

European Union 

Mexico 

Canada 

Japan 

TOP EXPORT PARTNERS: 

European Union 

Canada 

Mexico 

China 

Japan 



ECONOMY IN FOCUS 

You don’t need to be a 

financial expert to know 

that the United States is 

one of the world’s most 

powerful and influential 

economies. Despite only 

ranking eighth in global 

GDP per capita tables, 

the USA is known for 

being at the forefront of 

technological advances 

and business. Just look 

around you and you will 

likely see products and 

services that are made by 

American companies. The 

country has a wealth of 

natural resources, a strong 

and productive workforce, 

an impressive domestic 

market in most industries 

and also great strength 

when it comes to import 

and export. In the camping 

and RV industry, the United 

States remains a significant 

manufactuer with a huge 

number of these vehicles 

still produced in the 

country, as well as a huge 

swathe of components 

and accessories. Some 

of the biggest names 

in the business hail 

from the USA, including 

Lippert, Winnebago and 

Thor Industries – the 

last of which claims to 

be the world’s biggest 

RV producer, as it owns 

European giant the 

Erwin Hymer Group. The 

USA looks set to keep 

its position as one of the 

world’s most significant 

global economies. 

WHO’S WHO 

We’d probably have to add a substantial number of pages to the magazine to name every significant player in 

the camping and RV industry in the United States. Instead, we’ve just highlighted a handful of companies 

you probably already know about, but if you don’t, then you should. The United States is home to some of the 

biggest brands on the planet that have global reach – and the ones that don’t have the potential to achieve that 

global reach in the coming years. 

THOR INDUSTRIES 

The world’s largest manufacturer of RVs and leisure vehicles, THOR is a company that almost 

everyone in this industry will be familiar with. The company owns a wide range of brands in 

the United States and also now Europe after its acquisition of the Erwin Hymer Group. What 

is perhaps most amazing is that THOR as we know it was only founded in 1980, but its steady 

brand acquisition strategy has seen it grow into the biggest player in the game. 

www.thorindustries.com 

WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES 

Winnebago RVs have become so synonymous with the market that some people use 

Winnebago as a general term for any RV. The company owns brands including Grand 

Design, Chris-Craft, Newmar and Barletta – as well as its own Winnebago brand. The 

company dates back to the 1950s and prides itself on being an innovator and as being a 

company with a social conscious, donating to and participating in many good causes. 

www.winnebagoind.com 

Photo: Winnebago Ind 



FOREST RIVER 

In 1996, Forest River founder Peter Liegl had a vision. He foresaw an RV company dedicated 

to helping people experience the joy of the outdoors by building better recreational vehicles. 

Today, the company has to become one of the largest RV manufacturers in North America, 

producing class A and C motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, toy haulers, camping 

trailers and destination trailers. 

www.forestriverinc.com 

LIPPERT 

Lippert is a leading, global manufacturer and supplier of highly engineered products 

and customised solutions, dedicated to shaping, growing and bettering the RV, marine, 

automotive, commercial vehicle and building products industries. It has been on a steady 

growth curve in recent years and made a number of high-profile acquisitions that have 

helped it increase its influence on the global RV stage. 

www.lci1.com 

MSR 

In 1969, Seattle engineer and lifelong mountaineer Larry Penberthy formed Mountain Safety 

Research as a one-man crusade dedicated to improving the safety of climbing equipment. 

Since then, the company has gone on to become one of the most iconic names in 

lightweight backpacking tents and general outdoors equipment. MSR is an innovator, which 

often has its smart tent designs imitated, but never bettered. 

www.msrgear.com 

BIG AGNES 

Started more than 20 years ago, Big Agnes is a camping brand about building better to gear 

to get more people out to enjoy the hobby. It is an extremely well-known brand in the United 

States and has been spending time over the last few years to expand not only its product 

range with packs and bags, but also its export by launching a new European subsidiary 

company to help better serve the continent. 

www.bigagnes.com 

NEMO EQUIPMENT 

NEMO is a New Hampshire-based outdoor gear company known for creating awardwinning 

products that are built to last, comfortable and fun to use. Named the fastest 

growing camping brand in 2021 by NPD Group, NEMO has also been recognized by 

New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility as a small business leader for the 

environment, and recently won the 2021 Sustainability Slam. 

www.nemoequipment.com 

SUPERSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL 

An innovator in suspension solutions, SuperSprings International has carved out a very good 

reputation in the RV industry with its high-performance, easy-maintenance, and madein-America 

suspension products for motorhomes and trailer RVs. The company has many 

significant partners in the industry including United RV, Coachman and Winnebago. 

www.superspringsinternational.com 

SHOW BUSINESS 

Due to the sheer size of 

the United States, there 

are a host of regional and 

state-level shows that 

take place all over the 

country throughout the 

year. Some of the most 

prominent include the 

Florida RV Super Show 

(www.frvta.org) and the 

Quartzsite Sports, Vacation 

and RV Show (www. 

quartzsitervshow.com) 

in Arizona. Another big 

event in the RV industry 

calendar in the USA is the 

RV Industry Association’s 

(RVIA) RVs Move America 

Week, the next of which 

is scheduled to take place 

from 4 to 8 June, 2023. 

The RVIA also runs the RV 

Aftermarket Conference, 

which is scheduled to take 

place in August in San 

Antonio, Texas. 

Away from motorised 

camping, and the USA’s 

biggest shows for tent 

camping and general 

outdoors are the Outdoor 

Retailer shows. The 

summer event takes place 

from 19 to 21 June, 2023, 

while the winter event 

takes place from 10 to 12 

January, 2023 – both at Salt 

Lake City, Utah. 

RV INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION 

With offices in Reston, VA and Elkhart, IN, the RV Industry Association is the leading trade 

voice of the $114 billion dollar RV industry, representing approximately 450 manufacturers 

and component and aftermarket suppliers.The association works with federal and state 

lawmakers and regulators to pursue a favourable business environment for its members, is 

the leading source of research, data, and analysis about the RV industry. 

www.rvia.org 



US MARKET STATS 

$140 billion 

Value of RV industry to US 

economy 

680,000 

Jobs supported by US RV 

industry 

600,240 

New RV wholesale 

shipments completed in 

2021 

1 billion 

Media impressions created 

by GO RVing’s latest 

campaign 

9.6 million 

Americans planning an RV 

purchase 

96% 

Of American campers say 

the hobby improves their 

mental health 

10.1 million 

First time campers in the 

USA in 2020 

86 million 

US households call 

themselves campers 

Photo: Blake Wisz, Unsplash 

“The RV is coming off of 

our best year ever with over 

600,000 RV produced in 2021. 

We have continued to see 

record production through the 

beginning of 2022, but we do 

expect that to level off as we 

normalize in the second half of 

the year. Our current forecast 

projects that RV shipments will 

reach just under 550,000 RVs 

in 2022. While this is down 

from the record setting 2021, 

that would still be our second 

best year ever and well above 

the 40-year average for the 

industry. 

“The biggest opportunity 

in the American RV market 

right now is to create amazing 

experiences for the millions 

of people who bought RVs 

in recent years and the many 

millions of people who have 

heard about RVing – maybe 

for the first time – in the 

last couple of years. The 

demographics and expectations 

INSIDER 

INSIGHT 

MONIKA GERACI, SPOKESPERSON FOR RV INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION. 

of the new RV owners are 

changing, and the RV industry 

is evolving to meet these new 

demands through things like 

increased technology, floorplans 

that allow for working from the 

road, and the new electric RV 

concept vehicles. Campgrounds 

are also evolving to meet 

these needs by providing more 

amenities, including treating 

Wi-Fi as a utility instead of as 

an amenity. 

“Building off of our biggest 

opportunity, our biggest 

challenge to retaining RV 

owners is to ensure the 

millions of people who have 

bought RVs in recent years 

have places to go to use the 

RVs and trained technicians 

to service the RVs. The RV 

industry has been working very 

closely with our federal and 

state governments to secure 

funding for campground 

modernization and expansion 

on state and federal lands. 

The industry also founded 

and funded the RV Technical 

Institute, the only training 

and certification program 

created by the industry for RV 

technicians. The RV Technical 

Institute is focused not only 

on training techs but also 

recruiting new RV techs into 

the industry. 

“There is still a perception 

that RVing is just for retired 

folks. And while the median 

age of RV owners is 53, when 

we surveyed buyers who bought 

RVs for the first time in 2020, 

the median age dropped to 

41. If you look at the median 

age of a first-time buyer in 

2021, that number drops to 33. 

RVing has gained a tremendous 

amount of popularity among 

younger Americans as this 

data shows. Additionally, the 

demographic makeup of RV 

owners is growing more diverse 

and more reflective of the 

wider population.” 



JAROD LIPPERT, VP OF MARKETING AND PR AT LIPPERT. 

“At Lippert we believe that 

the interest in RVing and 

Camping is still at an alltime 

high. The pandemic 

certainly drove more and 

more Americans to the great 

outdoors and RVing was a 

safe and easy way to get out of 

the house with their families 

and enjoy an affordable 

vacation. We believe that some 

Americans are still a little bit 

weary of traveling overseas 

which also helps our industry. 

Airline tickets are getting 

more expensive as well. While 

rising fuel prices make it tough 

for RVers, we believe they still 

take the same number of trips, 

however they may just travel 

shorter distances. Overall, 

we believe the industry is as 

healthy as it has ever been 

regardless of the economical 

situation we find ourselves in 

today. 

“Regarding our own 

business, we are taking the 

responsibility to make the 

RVing experience easier and 

safer for the end user. Towing 

an RV for the first time can 

be a bit of a daunting task. 

With the industry largely 

unregulated compared to the 

Automotive Industry, Lippert 

has taken the opportunity 

to innovate several products 

in the safety and security 

categories. We have recently 

developed the first ever 

Anti-Lock Braking System 

(ABS) for towable RVs. This 

system works just like the ABS 

systems in the automotive 

market, pulsing the brakes 

electronically in an emergency 

situation so they don’t lock 

up and cause the trailer to 

skid. We have an Electronic 

Sway Control module that 

works with our ABS system to 

make towing even safer. We’ve 

developed a tire pressure 

management system (TPMS) 

that will alert the driver 

before there is a potential tire 

blow out. With the influx of 

new RVers, and new towers, 

that are in the market now 

because of the pandemic, 

we feel that it’s necessary to 

innovate products that will 

make these customers feel safe 

and therefore stay in the RV 

lifestyle for as long as we can. 

“Fuel prices are obviously 

something that is weighing 

on a lot of Americans’ minds 

right now. Rising inflation is 

certainly not helping either. 

The biggest challenges we 

see that date back to prepandemic 

times are 1) the lack 

of RV-ready campgrounds 

and camping spots. There is 

simply more demand than 

there are places to go camping. 

2) there is a need for more 

RV service technicians. We 

need to keep our customers 

on the road. Currently service 

times can be several weeks to 

several months and this isn’t a 

good customer experience for 

anyone. The industry needs to 

hire, train and retain more RV 

technicians in order to keep 

RVers in the mobile lifestyle. 

“I think there is a huge 

opportunity to better educate 

and market to would-be 

RVers. We have our Go 

RVing campaigns that do a 

nice job of advertising the 

mobile lifestyle to the general 

public, but I think there is an 

opportunity to cast the net a 

little wider through advertising 

and public awareness.” 


PREVIEW CARAVAN SALON 2022 

Connecting people 

through passion 

All photos © Messe Düsseldorf/C.Tillmann 

A 

Once again, the world of leisure vehicles will be headquartered out of Düsseldorf, 

Germany for the best part of 10 days and there are more reasons that you might 

imagine why you shouldn’t miss it if you work in this industry. 

■fter so long where 

uncertainty was the 

only certain thing 

in the world of exhibitions 

and events, it feels good to 

have a big show set in stone 

and have some real positivity 

surrounding it. Perhaps the 

only thing you can say with 

certainty about the 2022 

edition of one of the leisure 

vehicle industry’s biggest 

events, Caravan Salon, is that 

it will be big. Bigger than 

ever, in fact, with a threehall 

expansion taking the 

total number of halls up to 

16 and the floorspace and 

exhibitor numbers set to 

increase to 250,000sqm and 

650 respectively. Make sure you 

bring comfortable shoes. 

That’s not the only change 

being implemented by the 

organisers, Messe Düsseldorf, 

for the 2022 edition – for 

the first time now, the first 

Friday will serve as the 

Preview Day. Alongside media 

representatives and trade 

visitors, exhibitors will also 

be able to invite end-users 

permitting them to explore the 

fairgrounds on that first day 

in a quiet atmosphere. Stefan 

Koschke, project director 

185,000 

People attended 

the show 

653 

Exhibitors on 

the show floor 

31 

Countries represented 

by exhibitors 

41% 

Increase in 

first-time visitors 

13 

Exhibition halls 

STATS FROM 2021 


CARAVAN SALON 2022 PREVIEW 

caravanning and outdoor of 

Messe Düsseldorf, explained: 

“With this option we want to 

further develop the first Friday 

of the fair while allowing 

our exhibitors to invite their 

buyers selectively. This creates 

a professional setting for 

discussing orders, business 

exchange and networking. 

“We are very satisfied that 

we succeeded in convincing 

many new companies and 

numerous repeaters of our 

concept. The exhibition area 

will grow by three halls. This 

means we will be presenting 

the ranges of 650 exhibitors 

on 250,000 square metres in 

16 halls in total. CARAVAN 

SALON is the only place to 

see the full line-up of brands 

thereby offering the kind of 

direct product comparison that 

is also only possible with us 

in Düsseldorf. We look to this 

year’s event full of optimism 

and anticipation.” 

BUILDING ON SUCCESS 

It says a lot about this industry 

that Caravan Salon never 

actually missed an event at 

any point during the worst of 

the COVID-19 pandemic. In 

2020, a subdued but successful 

event managed to take place 

with limited numbers and strict 

health precautions. In 2021, 

that was hugely expanded to 

an almost normal event, still 

with some precautions and 

▲ Düsseldorf is a great city and the Messe is a terrific venue. 

restrictions regarding masks 

and vaccination status. Now, 

in 2022, where large parts of 

the world seem to have gotten 

past the worst of the pandemic, 

or are at least learning to live 

with it, we can expect a bumper 

show that takes us back to 

pre-pandemic event levels of 

attendance, excitement and 

hopefully success for businesses 

too. Caravanning and its 

associated hobbies are still 

flying high, despite challenges 

still faced by many when it 

comes to raw material supply 

and shopping. The iron is still 

hot, and Caravan Salon is in 

the perfect position to strike 

with some force. 

Daniel Onggowinarso, 

managing director of the 

German caravan industry 

association (CIVD), said: 

“Vacationing with motorhomes 

and caravans has seen 

enormous and constantly 

growing uptake for more than 

ten years. The pandemic then 

reinforced the trend towards 

individual and near-nature 

travelling yet again. 

“Since travelling has 

become possible again with 

almost no restrictions people 

are planning their holidays 

at full speed. This means a 

visit to CARAVAN SALON 

pays off all the more for both 

caravanning lovers and newbies 

because there is no other 

place where the bandwidth 

of vehicles and accessories is 

so broad, and products can be 

experienced in such a handson 

way.” 

EXPLORING NEW PATHS 

Away from its traditional 

homeland of leisure vehicles, 

Caravan Salon is looking to 

expand more into the arenas of 

tent camping and more general 

outdoor leisure activities. In 

hall three this year, expect to 

find the ‘travel and nature’ 

section of the show, which will 

be bigger and better than ever 

before. Stefan Koschke said: 

“People have a renewed desire 

to discover new destinations 

and the combination of mobile 

travel and regions offering 

outdoor activities is very 

popular. Whether it’s hiking, 

cycling or boat tours with 

canoes and kayaks, the great 

outdoors beckon and more 

and more people are heeding 

the call. This form of holiday 

is particularly in demand, as 

it can be planned individually, 

but can also be undertaken 

quite spontaneously. And I am 

DUSSELDORF CALLING 

Dusseldorf is Germany’s seventh largest city and lies 

on the confluence of two of the nation’s most famous 

rivers: the Rhune and the Düssel. The city is known 

for its cultural richness with many museums and an 

opera house. One of its most iconic buildings is the 

Rheinturm – a 168m tower on the banks of the Rhine 

that gives amazing views of the city and surrounding 

area from its observation deck, restaurants and bars. 

The city is also known for being a very green urban 

environment with major parks such as the 28-hectare 

Hofgarten, Nordpark and Südpark offering beautiful 

places to explore for tourists and locals alike. 

Düsseldorf has a thriving carnival scene with a million 

visitors a year who normally arrive for the Shrove 

Monday procession and is also said to be the place 

where the tradition of cartwheeling was originated. 

Country: Germany 

Capital of: North Rhine-Westphalia 

Population: 620,000 

Area: 217,000sqkm 

Timezone: CET 

Lord Mayor: Stephan Keller 

www.campingtradeworld.com | 33 35

PREVIEW CARAVAN SALON 2022 

THE SCENE IS SET 

Messe Düsseldorf has more than 70 years of 

experience in hosting exhibitions and trade fairs. 

The company hosts many different events at its 

305,727sqm exhibition area each year and also 

runs many exhibitions overseas too, including 

the All In Caravaning show in Beijing, China. The 

exhibition centre lies about 3km north of the city 

centre and is a similar distance from the airport 

too – about 15 minutes in a taxi or bus. Getting 

to the Messe is easy enough via these methods, 

there is also ample parking with several major 

highways leading to the city. Another great way 

to get around Düsseldorf is by bicycle or scooter 

– there is an excellent footpath and cycleway along 

the river Rhine that convienently leads right to the 

exhibition centre. 

Address: 

Messe Düsseldorf 

Am Staad 

40474 Düsseldorf 

Germany 


CARAVAN SALON 2022 PREVIEW 

▲ Expect to see all of the big names in caravanning, and also some of the lesser names too. Caravan Salon is the place to be. 

very pleased that the tourism 

sector will again be represented 

at Caravan Salon with such a 

large range of products.” 

This part of the show 

will demonstrate different 

destinations to visitors including 

Australia, Croatia, Cyprus, the 

Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, 

Greece, Slovenia, Denmark 

and the local North Rhine- 

Westphalia region of Germany. 

It’s clear that the destination and 

inspiration is just as important to 

campers as the vehicles they use 

to stay in these places. Equally 

the other outdoor activities that 

people accompany with their 

caravanning holidays will get 

a front-row seat in this hall. 

Stefan Koschke summarised: 

“The interest of manufacturers, 

retailers, and destinations in 

presenting in Hall 3 is very 

high. This clearly shows that it 

is important for the exhibitors 

to present themselves personally 

to their audience again. 

Accordingly, fans can also expect 

a varied program on stage. I 

cordially invite all friends of 

outdoor activities to visit us, 

as they can get comprehensive 

information and also shop here.” 

NORMALITY IS 

RESTORED 

Many of the favourite elements 

of Caravan Salon that have 

not been able to take place in 

recent years will be returning 

for 2022. One example is the 

caravan centre, a huge caravan 

parking lot that offers some 

3,500 serviced and nonserviced 

pitches for people 

to attend the show in their 

own caravan or motorhome. 

These pitches sold out very 

quickly when they went on 

sale, proving just how popular 

this element of the show is. As 

well as this, expect to find an 

adventure DIY section where 

several self-converted camping 

vehicles can be inspected 

and put through their paces 

– the idea is to help people 

learn more about the skills 

needed to create their own 

conversions and how to do this 

safely. There will also be a 

focus on the environment and 

sustainability as the industry 

faces up to the challenges of 

climate change. One final 

feature of note is that CVID 

will have a separate section 

within the show to promote its 

caravan and mobile technology 

qualification that it has created 

in collaboration with the 

German central association car 

body and vehicle technology 

(ZKF). The idea behind this is 

to encourage more people to 

consider making a career in the 

caravan industry building these 

wonderful machines that bring 

us so much joy as end users. 

DON’T MISS THESE EXHIBITORS 

Caframo 

Hall 13, Booth D89 

contactus@caframo.com 

LIONTRON GmbH 

Hall 13, Booth E11 

info@liontron.de 

PeggyPeg Innovative Systems 

Hall 3, Booth A36 

info@peggypeg.de 


CAFRAMO AD FEATURE 

VISIT US AT 

HALL 13, BOOTH D89 

Comfort doesn’t have 

to be complicated 

T 

After achieving record growth in 2021, Canadian premium fan and heater 

manufacturer Caframo has its sights set on further international expansion. 

Camping Trade World discovers why the company’s SEEKR brand is 

tailor-made for the RV and leisure vehicle industry. 

■he tranquil and idyllic 

region of the Great 

Lakes in Ontario, 

Canada is perhaps not the first 

place you’d associate with the 

RV industry. However, hidden 

among the tree-lined shores 

of this beautiful wonder of 

nature lies the headquarters 

of an innovative company 

that has been at the forefront 

of premium fans and heaters 

perfect for any leisure vehicle 

for a good number of years. 

36 | www.campingtradeworld.com 

Caframo was founded in 

1955 and has established 

itself as the go-to name for 

products that offer enhanced 

comfort and protection against 

extreme weather conditions 

for recreational boat users, and 

more recently RV users too. 

“We’re driven by discovery,” 

explains the company’s COO, 

David Sherman. “We prefer 

not to produce high-volume, 

low-cost products – we’d rather 

focus on providing customers 

with premium-quality products 

that solve problems and increase 

their comfort and enjoyment 

while on boats or in their RVs.” 

It’s a strategy that appears to be 

paying off: driven by the success 

of its SEEKR brand, Caframo 

reported sales growth of more 

than 50 per cent in 2021. 

Alongside this, the company 

doubled its production space 

and workforce in the same year, 

ready to serve its increasing 

global customer base. 

“Caframo continues to design, 

engineer and build reliable 

products in Canada.” explains 

Deanna Burke-Courage, 

director of marketing consumer 

products for the company. “Our 

motto is insight plus innovation 

equals products for passionate 

people.” 

INTERNATIONAL 

INTENTIONS 

As well as record-breaking sales 

figures in 2021, Caframo also

AD FEATURE CAFRAMO 

began to take aim at expanding 

its international presence. The 

company has established a 

European division – Caframo 

Europe BV –and reshaped its 

global sales team after seeing 

SEEKR products begin to 

attract attention in overseas 

market. A debut showing at 

the Caravan Salon exhibition 

in Düsseldorf, Germany this 

year seemed the best next 

logical step. Deanna explains: 

“This will be our first time 

exhibiting at Caravan Salon. 

Our goal for the show is 

introduce our product line to 

reputable RV manufacturers 

around the world. We want to 

share our success that we’ve had 

in Australia with our Sirocco 

II RV fan with other caravan 

▲ The Caframo HQ in the 

Great Lakes region in Ontario. 

manufacturers. We also want 

to introduce our Stor-Dry 

product to caravan owners that 

are looking to combat mould 

and musty odours when storing 

their caravan, campervan, or 

motorhome. 

“We are looking forward 

to networking with industry 

leaders to gain insight and 

research for new product 

development.” 

Named as a Certified Great 

Place to Work in both 2021 

and 2022, Caframo wants 

to continue its expansion in 

the right way. It encourages 

its team to build their own 

sense of credibility, pride, 

fairness, respect, and trust as 

it seeks to make the most of 

the opportunities it currently 

sees in the market. Since first 

breaking into Australia, the 

Sirocco II fan by SEEKR is 

installed in over 50 per cent 

of market there thanks to a 

partnership with Jayco. 

The company is now looking 

for similar OEM and retail 

partnerships in the UK and 

Europe, while at the same 

time focussing on new product 

development, and never losing 

sight of its long history and its 

proud traditions. If you didn’t 

know Caframo or SEEKR 

before, you will soon be pretty 

familiar. 

WHO ARE YOU 

Company: Caframo 

Founded: 1955 

Location: Georgian Bluffs, 

Ontario, Canada 

Products: Quiet, powerful, 

low power draw fans and 

heating solutions for RVs 

seekr.caframobrands.com 

What are SEEKR’S key products? 

Sirocco II – Featuring a 

unique gimbal design and 

360-degree directional 

airflow, the Sirocco II fan is 

built to last and can provide 

thousands of hours of 

powerful yet quiet airflow 

in any leisure vehicle. The 

12V/24V fan draws just 0.35A 

on 12V on its highest setting, 

meaning its highly suitable 

for off-grid use. 

Bora – SEEKR doesn’t just 

make fans for the living 

space in RVs, but also for the 

cabin too – the prime example 

being the Bora, which 

offers quiet operation and 

impressive airflow. Featuring 

the trademark low power 

draw, a compact design, 

three-speed touch control 

and adjustable angle, this 

fan is built to perform. 

Ultimate – The Ultimate 

features low power draw, 

two-speed settings and 

shock-absorbing, Finger- 

SafeTM blades – a key safety 

feature when camping with 

young family members. 

Made in Canada, the fan 

is available in 12V or 24V 

and can be direct wired or 

used in a cigarette lighter 

adapter. 

Stor-Dry – Designed to 

combat musty odours and 

the effects of moisture in an 

RV, the Stor-Dry low wattage 

warm air circulator uses a 

heating element and internal 

fan to circulate the warm 

air in your RV to prevent 

stale air pockets in spaces 

up to 28.3 m3. 


PEGGYPEG AD FEATURE 

VISIT US AT 

HALL 03, STAND A36 

Global influence 

pushes R&D forward 

for Peggy Peg 

We catch up with Peggy Peg’s Samantha Reinhold and Gerard Vredenburg to find 

out how global input is helping drive its product development and why the future of 

the company will always be tied to exhibitions and getting hands-on with customers. 

T 

■ent pegs – it’s probably 

fair to say they are 

not the most exciting 

thing in camping. However, it is 

probably equally fair to say they 

are one of the most important. 

With that ethos firmly at 

its forefront, German brand 

Peggy Peg Innovative Systems 


has been slowly attempting 

to revolutionise this vital part 

of the camping space with its 

screw-in range of pegs for tents, 

awnings and shelters. 

“We’ve already seen a really 

big spike in all things camping 

related over the last few years, 

and we are really happy to be 

part of it,” explains Gerard 

Vredenburg. “Our product gets a 

lot of attention, and we are also 

getting a lot of good feedback 

about it. In the beginning we 

had to do a lot of explanation 

and education about our 

product but now more and more 

people know what it is and 

bring ideas to us about how they 

use it or what extra they want.” 

Family business Peggy Peg 

is on a growth curve, with new 

members joining its ranks all 

the time. The company has 

a strong market in mainland 

Europe, but it is slowly and 

carefully expanding its reach to

AD FEATURE PEGGYPEG 

▲ Peggy Peg’s products have benefitted via input from its global distributors and partners. 

new markets and also markets 

where it was once present but 

slipped away. “We have returned 

to the UK market after a little 

time away,” explains Samantha 

Reinhold, daughter of Peggy 

Peg’s founders Brigitte and 

Achim. “A lot of people are 

happy that we have returned to 

that market and even though 

we wanted to start with only 

small shipments, the demand 

has meant we have been selling 

out fast.” The Peggy Peg product 

range is already well-equipped 

to do a great trade in countries 

like the UK, but that doesn’t 

mean that this is a company 

that is standing still, far from 

it. PeggyPeg is promising big 

things for its annual pilgrimage 

to Düsseldorf for Caravan Salon 

this August and September. 

“We are very, very excited to 

be attending the Caravan Salon 

show in Düsseldorf once again 

this year,” explains Samantha. 

“For the first time ever, we 

have had five people working 

on research and development, 

instead of just two (my parents). 

Essentially a new, younger 

team has come into the family 

business and has taken the whole 

process onto a new level, so we 

will have some very interesting 

new products to show. 

“We have been attending 

the show for a very long time, 

for me since I was a little kid 

with my parents, but this year 

we will have a completely new 

set-up for our stand. We have 

never been there like we will 

be this year before. It will have 

a much fresher look, and put 

a bit of my own creative twist 

on it. While Samantha was 

unable to reveal much more 

detail than that about the new 

product launch (you’ll need to 

visit them on stand A36 in Hall 

3 to get the full story), she did 

explain how as well as young 

blood being a catalyst for the 

company’s latest developments, 

its global footprint has been 

too – especially the data it has 

collected from Australia. Peggy 

Peg set-up its own division in 

Australia after a company it was 

working with there as a partner 

wanted to become its official 

distributor there. Of course, the 

soil types and camping styles 

in Australia and New Zealand 

mean that the company had 

to adapt some of its products 

and come up with new ideas. 

One simple example of this 

global influence now pouring 

into the R&D team at Peggy 

Peg is its 270 kit – a full kit 

that allows the user to set up 

a versatile awning shelter that 

goes around 270 degrees of a 

vehicle – perfect for not only 

campers, but also those who like 

to go on adventures in their cars 

or off-road 4x4s – a market that 

is very big in Australia and New 

Zealand, and also gradually 

growing in Europe too. Another 

interesting product picking up 

traction for Peggy Peg around 

the globe is its Crocodile Peggy 

– a multifunctional, powerful 

quick-release clamp offers 

almost unlimited options. In 

fact, Samantha and Gerard have 

been challenging customers 

to come up with the most 

innovative uses for them. 

“With the feedback we get 

from customers all over the 

world, we can do a lot more 

research than before,” says 

Samantha. 

With that said, it would 

have been remiss of us not 

to ask what the future target 

markets would be for Peggy 

Peg, Samantha said: “We have 

always said we would like to go 

to the US market. Perhaps we 

would like to get the UK up and 

running properly first. There are 

a lot of things that need to be 

paid attention to going into a 

big market in the United States 

– its connected to a lot more 

steps, but it is definitely on the 

future roadmap for us.” 

You can stay up to date with 

the Peggy Peg story by visiting 

www.uk.peggypeg.shop 


PLAY VIDEO * PLAY VIDEO * 

SUPERSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL AD FEATURE 

A coiled spring 

for your profits 

More and more RV users and campers are becoming aware of the importance 

of good suspension, and that’s in no small part down to the growth of 

SuperSprings International in the market. The company’s Tom Bateman explains 

why a complete suspension upgrade could benefit your customers. 

R 

■egular readers of 

Camping Trade 

World will probably 

be familiar with the iconic 

yellow, blue or black microcellular 

polyurethane made 

SumoSprings, made by 

innovative suspension solutions 

provider SuperSprings 

International (SSI). The 

company’s namesake product 

too – the SuperSprings, a 

simple bolt-on steel helper 

spring – may also be familiar 

to you. But the improvements 

that SSI can offer to an RV, 

or a car or truck used to tow 

an RV don’t end there. SSI 

also manufactures heavy duty 

replacement coil springs can 

help your heavy towing machine 

live a longer, happier and more 

sag-free life. 

“In simple terms, coil springs 

will sag over time with heavy 

and repeated use,” explains 

SSI’s director of marketing, 

Tom Bateman. “Pretty much 


AD FEATURE SUPERSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL 

all coil springs will eventually 

lose their load carrying capacity 

and will need to be replaced – 

enter the SuperCoils. They are 

designed to remedy sagging and 

overworked original equipment 

front and rear suspension 

coil springs. SuperCoils have 

a linear/constant spring rate 

consistent with other coil 

springs.” 

Unlike SSI’s other 

aforementioned products that 

are an addition to a vehicle to 

improve its suspension and ride 

smoothness and efficiency, the 

SuperCoils replace original 

equipment on your vehicle, 

making them an even more 

serious upgrade. 

“A common question we 

get asked when people first 

learn about SuperCoils is 

whether they should use them 

or SumoSprings,” says Tom. 

“The answer is that you can 

use both – and we’d actually 

recommend that. SuperCoils 

are a replacement to factory 

coil springs. SumoSprings 

are an enhancement to your 

suspension. Sagging or over 

worked coil springs should 

be replaced with SuperCoils. 

Vehicles needing additional load 

support and/or increased ride 

comfort should consider using 

SumoSprings in conjunction 

with coil springs or 

SuperCoils. Most popularly, 

SuperCoils complimented 

with SumoSprings Solo (in 

▲ SuperCoils can work alongside SumoSprings products. 

place of factory bump stops) are 

a great suspension solution.” 

TOW VEHICLES SHOULDN’T 

BE OVERLOOKED 

With all the hype around the 

growth of the campervan, RV 

and motorhome market that is 

sweeping the global industry, 

it could be easy to forget or 

overlook the importance of 

the towing vehicle. Whether 

you use a truck, a 4x4, or just a 

heavy-duty car, ensuring that it 

is up to the task of towing your 

caravan or RV, or even just up 

to the task of driving a car full 

of heavy camping kit or a roof 

tent out into the wilderness, is 

super important. A lot of that is 

where the idea for SuperCoils 

came from – it was a natural 

progression for SuperSprings 

International. 

“We have definitely noticed a 

lot of interest from the camping 

and towable RV market in 

SuperCoils over the last year,” 

explains Tom. “People are 

more focused on maintaining 

their vehicles and making sure 

they continue to perform with 

longevity” Perhaps, this could 

be put down to the recent 

▲ SuperCoils have been gaining 

traction in the camping market. 

increase in cost of living, partly 

caused by global uncertainty 

relating to international conflict, 

and also supply chain problems 

in the vehicle industry. Instead 

of going out and buying a new 

truck or 4x4, it appears more 

people than ever are keen to 

do some DIY upgrades and 

maintenance on the vehicles 

they already have to keep them 

in tip-top shape. This is where 

the SSI advantage of being a 

made in America brand comes 

in – its products are always 

available and the proof of that 

is in the fact that the company 

is growing exponentially despite 

all the turmoil going on the 

in the world. The company 

reported record-breaking growth 

of 42 per cent in 2021 and has 

a staggeringly huge following 

on social media thanks to its 

innovative marketing methods 

and focus on engaging video and 

other content. 

EDUCATION IS KEY 

A large part of why SSI 

products have really gained 

traction is the education 

surrounding them. Tom and the 

team have seen first-hand that 

when a partner or a customer 

fully understands the benefits of 

a product like SuperCoils then 

they are well and truly sold. This 

education is something that 

can be easily passed on through 

the sales chain. Whether its 

informative YouTube videos, 

training your staff to be able 

to explain benefits well, or 

having demonstration facilities 

available to showcase the 

difference between having an 

SSI product on a vehicle or not, 

there are plenty of ways you 

could utilise education to help 

your business jump on the SSI 

bandwagon and start selling 

products that could make you 

more profit. 

To learn more visit: 

superspringsinternational.com 


LIONTRON AD FEATURE 

VISIT US AT 

HALL 13, STAND E11 

Awards prove a point 

for LIONTRON 

How do you tell if you are serving up something the industry needs? Two 

major awards in one year is pretty good evidence, which is exactly what has 

happened to German lithium battery expert LIONTRON. Just how has the 

company achieved it and what are its future plans? 

W 

■inning an award for 

the hard efforts of your 

company is always 

rewarding. Not only does it 

prove the convictions you have 

as a design team, but it also 

helps you know that you are 

delivering a product that solves 

problems that users in your 

market are experiencing. You 

could argue that some awards 

are worth more than others, but 

the European Innovation Award 

and th German Innovation 

Award are two that carry great 

kudos. So, imagine the delight 

of German lithium battery 

brand LIONTRON when 

it managed to attain both in 

the same year for its range 

of LiFePo4 batteries. A clear 

vindication that it is on the 

right track with its product 

development. 

PLEASING THE 

CARAVAN CROWD 

The first award arrived when a 

consortium of 17 independent 

trade editors in the caravan and 

motorhome industry decided 

to bestow the Sustainability 

and Environment Innovation 

Award on LIONTRON earlier 

this year. But hold on, a battery 

winning a sustainability award? 

The main reason for this is the 

fact that the batteries are easily 

reparable, with removable covers 

and changeable parts. For the 

first five years, these repairs can 

be done under the LIONTRON 

warranty, but afterwards it is 

very simple for any garage or 


AD FEATURE LIONTRON 

even the end user to extend 

the life of their LIONTRON 

LiFePo4 battery. The design 

basis of all LIONTRON 

batteries is what the company 

calls its ‘3 x 5 minutes’ concept. 

Firstly, this makes it possible to 

open each battery within five 

minutes and test it for faults. 

Secondly, every component 

can be replaced in another five 

minutes. Thirdly, after another 

five minutes the battery is 

assembled and ready for use 

again. Users are also able to 

purchase an additional 10-year 

warranty from LIONTRON 

after the original 5-year one 

has expired, meaning this 

battery could last a user for 15 

years or more. 

Another eco-credential of 

this battery is that the 300Ah 

version can deliver the same 

charging capacity as a leadacid 

batter with 600Ah. This is 

because LIONTRON batteries 

can be deeply discharged, 

whereas lead-acid batteries 

should only really be discharged 

to 50 per cent to preserve their 

life. The battery can provide 

more than 3,000 charging 

cycles, which also outperforms 

its rivals. 

Another aspect of the 

LIONTRON 300Ah battery 

that impressed the good folk 

of the caravan and motorhome 

industry is the fact that it is 

much smaller and lighter than 

its competitors. Its dimensions 

of 349 x 349 x 190mm mean 

that it can easily be installed 

under one of the seats in the 

cabin of a motorhome or 

campervan – it also weights only 

34.7kg, which is considerably 

less than a lead-acid battery of 

the same output. 

HOME ADVANTAGE 

As if this recognition wasn’t 

enough for LIONTRON, 

it also collected a German 

▲ See LIONTRON’s products for yourself at Caravan Salon. 

Innovation Award for 2022 

in the Excellence in Business 

to Consumer, Travel, Sports 

and Outdoor Good sector – a 

prize designed to recognise 

products and solutions across 

all industries that distinguish 

themselves primarily through 

user-centricity and added value 

compared to what already 

exists on the market. While 

we can’t profess to be inside 

the minds of the judges for 

this award, it probably helped 

LIONTRON’s case significantly 

to know that its batteries come 

with integrated Bluetooth 

monitoring that works in 

tandem with the LIONTRON 

Multi App (available on iOS 

and Android). Via this app, 

users can see the status of 

up to four different LiFePo4 

batteries including their state 

of charge, current capacity, as 

well as current and voltage. The 

batteries also feature a battery 

management system (BMS), 

which utilises adaptive cell 

balancing that automatically 

regulates the charging and 

discharging currents and 

protects against short circuits, 

overcharging, too deep 

discharging and too high/low 

temperatures. 

On the subject of low 

temperatures, LIONTRON 

also makes a version of its 

300Ah battery that can be 

used in temperatures of down 

to -30C with no effect on its 

performance. This so-called LX 

Artic version of the battery has 

internal heating elements inside, 

which activate in temperatures 

below -1C provided it is 

connected to some kind of 

power source (such as a solar 

controller). This ensures that 

the battery is only warmed up 

when it is in use and does not 

discharge itself during long 

immobilization periods due to 

its own heating elements. By 

warming the battery slightly, 

full absorption of the charging 

power is ensured even in subzero 

temperatures. Normal 

lithium iron phosphate batteries 

switch off the absorption of 

charging current at 0°C. 

SHOW TIME 

LIONTRON will be 

showcasing its award-winning 

LiFePo4 batteries at the 

upcoming Caravan Salon show 

in Düsseldorf this August and 

September, giving folk from 

the industry and end-users the 

chance to take a closer look 

at them for themselves. You’ll 

be able to find LIONTRON 

on stand E11 in Hall 13 – the 

iconic orange branding of the 

company has become a regular 

sight on the show floor for 

many years now. 

Head to www.liontron.com 

for more. 


BOSSWERK AD FEATURE 

VISIT US AT 

HALL 13, STAND C93 

Portable power 

just got an upgrade 

P 

Although camping is about getting away from it all and escaping into 

nature, one thing modern consumers cannot escape is their need for 

power on the go. It’s a trend that German brand Bosswerk has clearly 

identified and come up with some very smart solutions to. 

■ortable power is one 

of those things that 

when you have it in a 

reliable form, you don’t think 

twice about it. It’s like good 

Wi-Fi or oxygen – essential 

for most camping and outdoor 

adventures, but when it’s gone 

or in short supply, then panic 

sets in. The market has been 

developing new ways to help 

deliver easy and reliable power 

to campers for some time now, 

and German brand Bosswerk 

believes it may have cracked 

the code with the launch of 

its first three power stations. 

Utilising innovative lithium 

iron phosphate (LiFePo4) 

technology, the Bosswerk Power 

Stations are available in 500, 


1,000 or 2,000 watts versions 

and offer self-sufficient power 

that’s perfect for off-grid 

camping or just camping where 

power isn’t easy to get a hold of. 

The LiFePo4 technology used 

in these Power Stations is much 

safer, longer lasting and more 

sustainable than Li-LNC and 

Li-NCA batteries, which are 

used in most power stations and 

also in smartphones or power 

banks. This is just one way in 

which these power stations are 

a more sustainable option for 

campers who rely on them when 

out in the wilderness – they do 

not contain any heavy metals 

that pollute the environment. 

The LiFePO4 batteries also 

offer more charging cycles – 

even if the batteries are always 

charged to 100 per cent, where 

other battery technologies lose 

performance. Because all the 

electronic components can be 

replaced quickly and easily if 

necessary, Bosswerk offers a fiveyear 

manufacturer’s warranty. 

When that expires customers 

can purchase an addition 10- 

year warranty – meaning these 

batteries will last for at least 15 

years, decreasing waste. 

This new generation of 

Power Stations can not only be 

recharged via 230-volt mains 

sockets at home, but also via 

12-volt cigarette lighter sockets. 

Better yet, they feature builtin 

MPPT solar regulator and 

corresponding plug connections, 

so they can also be charged via a 

solar bag or solar modules. The 

integrated MPPT technology 

generates up to 30 per cent more 

solar yield than the standard 

solar regulators often installed. 

The Power Stations are also 

extremely versatile thanks to the 

wide range of charging ports 

and sockets they provide. The 

new solar generators provide 

various plugs for Schuko, USB, 

USB-C, Anderson or 12-volt 

cables, depending on the power 

class. For example, users can 

charge up to four USB mobile 

devices simultaneously. With 

power delivery with up to 60 

watts and Quick Charge 3.0 

even up to 4 times faster than 

with a conventional charger.

AD FEATURE BOSSWERK 

VARIETY IS THE KEY TO PORTABLE POWER MARKET 

The flagship, the BW- 

generator is supplied with 

PS2000LFP, has a continuous solar power via the Anderson 

output of 2,000 watts, peaking plug or DC-in. The energy 

at 4,000 watts at 230 volts, of the power station reaches 

with a battery capacity of the corresponding end device 

114 ampere-hours at 12.8 via two Schuko plugs, USB, 

volts battery voltage. This USB 3.0, USB C, two 12-volt 

corresponds to about 1.46 DC outputs or the 12-volt 

kilowatt hours of usable storage cigarette lighter. A large 

capacity. It weighs around display informs about the 

20 kilograms and comes in a charging status of the Power 

high-quality 320 x 230 x 330 Station, the current charging 

millimetre aluminium housing. or discharging, the connections 

A 230-volt mains adapter and and temperatures that are too 

a 12-volt car cable are included high or too low. 

as accessories for charging With an output of 1,000 

the lithium-iron phosphate watts (2,000 watts peak), the 

battery. Alternatively, the power BW-PS1000LFP represents 

the perfect balance of power 

and form factor. The builtin 

LiFePO4 battery in the 

1000 version offers a capacity 

of 90 ampere hours at 12.8 

volts battery voltage or 

1.15 kilowatt hours storage 

capacity. Like its big brother, 

it is charged via the mains, 

the car or a solar module. The 

connections and the display 

are also the same for the 

1000-watt version. However, 

it is smaller (320 x 230 x 280 

millimetres) and lighter (16.5 

kilograms). The housing is also 

made of robust aluminium. 

The compact class of the 

new Bosswerk Power Stations 

is the model BW-PS500LFP 

with 36 ampere hours at 12.8 

volts battery voltage and 

0.46 kilowatt hours storage 

capacity. Measuring 330 x 

159 x 158 millimetres, it fits 

into any car, boat, or camping 

vehicle. At the same time, the 

Power Station weighs only 

6.5 kilogrammes. With two 

230-volt sockets, USB, USB 

C and three 12-volt outputs, 

even the smallest model in the 

range is easy to connect. The 

energy storage unit is charged 

via a solar module or 230-volt 

mains adapter. 

▼ Bosswerk’s new Power Stations have been built with campers in mind. 

Learn more about Bosswerk Power Stations and portable power at www.bosswerk.de or www.greenakku.de 


BACK ISSUES 

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ISSUE 01 | CAMPINGTRADEWORLD.COM 




SumoSprings: The new 

RV suspension standard 

Clean and green 

Natural toilet fluid for your camper 

Read more on page 38 

» Learn more on page 24 

» 

ISSUE 01 

ISSUE 02 

ISSUE 03 

ISSUE 04 

• What can we learn from 

the German leisure vehicle 

industry? 

• New camper retention: are 

we doing enough as an 

industry ? 

• A full profile on the 

camping market in New 

Zealand 

• A round-up of what was 

hot at the CMT Digital show 

• Exclusive interviews with 

SuperSprings International 

and OLPRO 

• Korean and Chinese shows 

lead the way in booming 

Asian market 

• Doing Business With 

Germany – expert insight 

from industry insiders 

• Spotlight on the global 

tent market to help your 

business grow 

• Are we doing enough to 

be green? One Belgian 

company believes we can 

do more 

• Why a partnership 

between SuperSprings 

International and United 

RV is huge for the industry 

• Full reports from two 

UK shows – the National 

Camping Show and 

Outdoor Trade Show 

• Heading to Caravan Salon? 

Read our show preview 

before you make the trip 

• Doing Business with the 

UK – expert insight into 

one of Europe’s major 

markets 

• Get the lowdown on the 

global motorhome market 

and the latest trends 

within it 

• Exclusive interviews with 

industry leaders from 

camping, caravanning and 

RVs 

• A huge 12-page wrap-up 

of Caravan Salon 2021 

• How to make new 

connections in France 

• A close-up examination of 

the global caravan market 

• Why your company’s 

culture is key and how to 

improve it 

• Camping industry buying 

trends revealed in UK 

• How a change in the law 

could affect European 

campsites 

www.campingtradeworld.com/magazine 


BACK ISSUES 

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ISSUE ISSUE 05 05 | CAMPINGTRADEWORLD.COM 

| ISSUE 06 | CAMPINGTRADEWORLD.COM 

ISSUE ISSUE 07 07 | CAMPINGTRADEWORLD.COM 

| ISSUE 08 | CAMPINGTRADEWORLD.COM 

JUST HOW TOUGH ARE 

Rolling awnings 

crafted in Italy 

SUPERSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL PUT 

THEIR SUSPENSION TO THE ULTIMATE TEST. 

Find out more on page 32 

SuperSprings 

I NTE RNATIONAL 

See more on page 34 

M: info@scalabros.it 

D: www.scalabros.it 

ISSUE 05 

ISSUE 06 

ISSUE 07 

ISSUE 08 

• A 2021 health check on the 

industry 

• A preview of the CMT 

Show in Stuttgart 

• How to make new 

connections in the 

Swedish market 

• How and why you should 

be making better videos 

• Reports from leading 

exhibitions in Utrecht and 

Barcelona 

• Industry views with 

Benjamin Baur 

• Spotlight on the camping 

accessories market 

• How you can boost your 

diversity and why you 

should 

• Scandinavian companies 

show power of teamwork 

• Inside the tent fabric tech 

arms race 

• A success in Leipzig: 

Touristik & Caravaning 

report 

• How to do business with 

the Australian market 

• Celebrating AL-KO’s 90th 

anniversary 

• How LIONTRON could 

help boost your sales 

• Exclusive interview 

with Caravan Industry 

Association of Australia’s 

Stuart Lamont 

• We demystify SEO and 

teach you how to use it 

• Learn more about the 

camping and RV market 

in Italy 

• Sleeping mat expert 

Therm-A-Rest celebrates a 

big anniversary 

• SuperSprings International 

shows how to do product 

testing 

• Exclusive interview with 

Thetford marketing 

manager Norbert van 

Noesel 

• A closer look at the RV and 

leisure vehicle components 

market 

• How German brand 

PeggyPeg is bringing 

simple innovation to the 

global camping market 

• Do branding better, with 

our latest Become a Better 

Business feature 

• Is electric the only answer 

for the future of leisure 

vehicles? 

• A report from South Korea’s 

Camping & Picnic Fair 2022 

• Our Doing Business With 

series takes a look at the 

market in Japan 

• Why Italian roller awning 

expert Scalabros should be 

your next partner 

• Celebrating 60 years of 

Kampgrounds of America 

and 65 years of Isabella 

• Our top tips to help 

you make the most of 

exhibitions and shows 

• Figures from Q1 and Q2 

show that the RV industry 

is still booming 

Don’t miss a future issue of Camping Trade World, by subscribing today to have it delivered straight to your inbox six 

times a year. If you want to be featured in an upcoming issue, contact us at campingtradeworld.com/contact-us 


GLAMPING SECTOR SPOTLIGHT 

SECTOR 

SPOTLIGHT 

Photo: Jeremy Bishop (Unsplash) 

Glamping 

Glamping is much more than just camping in luxury, it’s its own 

individual and unique market that is growing and developing at a rapid 

rate. We run the rule over the market to help you better understand 

how it works and who the major players are. 

C 

■amping in a slightly 

fancy tent used to be 

considered glamping. 

Since the word was officially 

recognised and added to the 

Oxford Dictionary in 2016 

however, the market has 

undergone quite a transformation. 

Mirroring the thirst from 

consumers to have home luxuries 

in leisure vehicles, the tent world 

grew a new limb in the shape 

of the glamping industry. That 

limb has since broken free from 

traditional tent camping and run 

off into the woods to set-up its 

own, very defined place in the 

market. Today, glamping means 

camping in luxury in a very 

wide range of units including 

canvas tents, tipis, domes, safari 

tents, huts, cabins, and yurts, 

to name just a few examples. 

Many campsites began to see the 

demand for this kind of unique 

stay and started adding glamping 

options to their locations – some 

even decided to start up glamping 

specific sites of their own. This 

trend has been seen from the 

smallest independent campsite 

operator through to large national 

chains such as Kampgrounds of 

America and the Camping and 

Caravanning Club in the United 

Kingdom. It seems that wherever 

you are on the planet, glamping is 

a hot ticket right now. 

The global worth of the 

glamping industry is said to be 


SECTOR SPOTLIGHT GLAMPING 

more than US$2 billion, with 

many forecasts and predictions 

claiming that that figure will 

more than double by the time we 

get to 2030. That is a big number, 

and there are subsequently many 

opportunities to get involved in 

the industry. Glamping units 

are much more complex than 

traditional tents with many 

having similar levels of home 

comfort you would find in a 

hotel. For that reason, suppliers 

of products like hottubs, firepits, 

cooking and kitchen equipment, 

beds, furniture, lighting, decking 

and much more can find some 

business in the trade. 

Europe is one of the hotbeds of 

the glamping industry, with the 

UK market in particular one that 

has achieved impressive growth. 

It has enjoyed around 10 per cent 

growth in the last few years, with 

that figure expected to remain 

at that level or even increase. 

Pitchup.com is one of the premier 

providers of online campsite 

and glamping site booking in 

the UK and it has seen a surge 

in camping and glamping sites 

joining the platform, with 

360 additional locations listed 

since the beginning of the year. 

Almost 2,000 sites in England 

alone are now fully searchable 

and bookable, with a further 

600 across Wales, Scotland and 

Northern Ireland plus thousands 

more worldwide. Its founder, Dan 

Yates, said: “Over the last two 

years our campsite owners have 

told us about many customers 

that have swapped holidays 

abroad for stays closer to home 

and have enjoyed it so much that 

they plan to continue, and the 

figures would certainly seem to 

bear that out. We offer camping 

pitches from just £8 per night 

and glamping stays in readymade 

accommodation from as 

little as £25 a night. Add to that 

the lower cost of self-catering, 

plenty of free activities and the 

ability to take a holiday within a 

few miles of home to keep fuel 

costs to a minimum, it’s easy to 

see how outdoor holidays are 

more achievable for those whose 

budgets are being squeezed.” 

Another huge provider of 

glamping stays is Campspot. 

Since the start of 2021, Campspot 

has added more than 700 new 

campgrounds to its network, 

with those campgrounds using 

Campspot software reporting an 

average of 75 per cent year-overyear 

revenue increase. To further 

boost the industry, Campspot 

launched a public online 

marketplace in spring 2020 that 

allows campers to search and 

book more than 130,000 different 

campsites. It also has an app that 

has more than 75,000 downloads. 

“This has been a dynamic, 

fast-paced and exciting year 

at Campspot,” said Michael 

Scheinman, CEO of the company 

“I couldn’t be more proud 

of the Campspot team for 

delivering on our mission to 

improve the camping experience 

for travellers and operators alike. 

We are grateful to be a partner 

to thousands of campgrounds, 

who impress us every day with 

their commitment to serving 

our mutual guests. The 2022 

outlook is one of optimism – for 

the outdoor industry, for our 

partners, and for Campspot – 

and we look forward to another 

banner year ahead.” 

THE STATISTICS 

US$ 

2.35bn 

Estimated value of global 

glamping market 

US$ 5.94 

Predicted value of 

industry by 2030 

18-35 

Most common age 

category who glamp 

35% 

Of the global glamping 

market is in Europe 

10% 

Average annual growth 

rate of glamping industry 

36% 

Of campers tried glamping 

for the first time in 2021 

Global interest in Google search term ‘glamping’ in the last year 

100 

75 

50 

25 

11 JUL 

2021 

31 OCT 

2021 

20 FEB 

2022 

12 JUN 

2022 

Top five countries with highest 

Google search interest for the 

term ‘glamping’ in the last year 

Slovenia 

Ireland 

Colombia 

United Kingdom 

New Zealand 



Photo: Jonas Ducker (Unsplash) 

▲ The scope of what constitutes glamping is pretty wide – units can be anything from fancy tents to full-on pods. 

The tent-style glamping unit tends to attract those people who want to 

camp but are a little worried about the practicalities of it, or simply cannot 

go without some home comforts such as a proper bed. 

TRENDING 

By its very nature, glamping 

can cover a wide range of 

habitations. From simple 

safari tents and tipis through 

to more complex and more 

permanent structures, there is 

a level of glamping for most 

tastes. The tent-style glamping 

unit tends to attract those 

people who want to camp but 

are a little worried about the 

practicalities of it, or simply 

cannot go without some home 

comforts such as a proper bed. 

They also prove popular with 

families with young children 

who want to camp but are 

concerned about disrupting the 

young ones’ routines too much. 

Stepping up a level from these 

tent-style locales and you will 

get to yurts, which are slightly 

more permanent structures and 

often feature vastly increased 

living spaces and other internal 

features. Up another level and 

you will find huts and cabins, 

which some would argue are not 

camping of any kind. However, 

the remote locations and lack 

of certain amenities mean 

that they are still very much 

a part of the glamping world. 

Glamping also affords a certain 

unique taste with some of the 

units it offers for people to stay 

in. Think of domes or pods in 

unique locations, or perhaps 

even treehouses or other 

unusual places to sleep. There 

is a lot of space for creativity 

when it comes to glamping and 

the types of experiences it can 

create for campers. Because 

of this, more and more people 

are getting involved in the 

industry, not just from a product 

manufacture and supply point 

of view, but also from the 

point of view of creating their 

own campsites. Glamping has 

opened up the world of being 

an accommodation provider to a 

much wider range of landowners 

than ever before, and because 

of that, there are several places 

that people can go to in order 

to get advice about how to 

do it properly. International 

Glamping Business is one such 

place, an online and print trade 

magazine specifically dedicated 

to the industry. 

One trend that the entire 

glamping industry shares is 

growth – and that shows no 

signs of slowing down in the 

years to come. An industry 

that was already enjoying 

a significant boom is now 

being further boosted by 

people searching for new and 

interesting ways to holiday that 

don’t necessarily involve getting 

on a plane. 



Photo: The Glamping Show 

▲ The Gklamping Show and The Glamping Show US would be two very useful places to visit if you’re considering this market. 

SHOW BUSINESS 

The Glamping industry is lucky 

enough to have a few good industry 

shows and exhibitions to help the 

companies within it to grow. In 

the UK, you have The Glamping 

Show, which this year takes place 

at Stoneleight Park in the centre of 

the country from 15 to 17 September. 

More than 80 different exhibitors are 

expected to be at the 2022 edition 

of the show, with ticket registration 

still live at the time of writing. It will 

be the first time the show has taken 

place in real life again since the start 

of the pandemic. The show has a 

sister event in the United States, 

called The Glamping Show USA. This 

takes place from 4 to 5 October at 

the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in 

Aurora, Colorado. This show normally 

attracts more than 100 exhibitors 

and has both indoor and outdoor 

exhibition space to fully showcase 

everything glamping exhibitors have 

to offer. Learn more about these shows 

at www.theglampingshow.com and 

www.glampingshow.us respectively. 



Photo: Garrick Sangil (Unsplash) 



BUSINESS CONNECTIONS 

The glamping market is a fast-growing animal and encompasses 

everything from luxury safari tents, through to pods and huts. There 

are also a host of companies out there who provide components and 

parts for glamping units, as well as helping people set-up their own 

glamping sites. Because of that, we have tried to simplify things and 

supply you with a snapshot curation of glamping related businesses 

that can hopefully help you make a meaningful connection. There will 

likely be plenty of brands you have already heard of, but hopefully 

one or two that you haven’t. Either way, your next big partners could 

be lurking somewhere on these pages. 

Autentic 

www.autentic.world 

Davis Tent 

www.davistent.com 

Hunter Outdoors 

www.hunteroutdoors.co.uk 

Rainier Outdoor 

www.rainieroutdoor.com 

BCT Outdoors Ltd 

www.bctoutdoors.com 

De Waard 

www.dewaardbusiness.com 

Into The Wild 

www.intothewilduk.com 

TruDomes 

www.trudomes.com 

Bell Tent 

www.belltent.co.uk 

Ecostructures 

www.ecostructures.com.au 

Logspan 

www.logspan.com 

White Duck Outdoors 

www.whiteduckoutdoors.com 

Boutique Camping 

www.boutiquecamping.com 

Escape Pods 

escapeglampingpods.co.uk 

Lotus Belle 

www.lotusbelle.co.uk 

Yurts for Life 

www.yurtsforlife.com 

Bushtec Safari 

www.bushtecsafari.com 

Clear Sky Safari 

www.safaritents.net 

Colorado Yurt Company 

www.coloradoyurt.com 

Crown and Canopy 

www.crownandcanopy.co.uk 

Glamping Innovations 

glampinginnovations.co.uk 

Glamping Tubs 

www.glamptubs.com 

Glampitect 

www.glampitect.co.uk 

Hully 

www.hullypods.com 

MiPod 

www.mipod.solutions 

Nomadics Tipi Makers 

www.tipi.com 

Nomadik 

www.nomadiktents.co.za 

Outstanding 

www.outstandingtent.com 

*Note: We know this isn’t every 

company that deals in glamping 

on the planet, but we hope 

you can make a meaningful 

business connection through it. 

If you feel we’ve missed you out, 

contact us today to talk about 

editorial opportunities. 

▲ Glamping opens up the market to a wider audience who might not be as comfortable with traditional camping methods. 


CUSTOMER SERVICE BECOME A BETTER BUSINESS 

© Dometic 

BECOME 

A BETTER 

BUSINESS 

Creating killer 

customer service 

Customer service is a category of business management as old as time, but the field 

has become more and more complex as the way we sell products and offer services has 

evolved. Our marketing guru takes a look at how you can continue to offer service with a 

smile in the 21st century. 

T 

■here was a time when 

customer service simply 

meant serving your 

in-store buyers with politeness, 

kindness and courtesy. A simple 

smile and friendly demeanour 

while a transaction was taking 

place was considered great 

customer service and everyone 

was happy… or were they? In the 

modern world, the way in which 


we interact with our customers 

and the way in which they buy 

goods and services from us 

have changed massively and are 

under constant evolution. Just 

ten years ago, who could have 

predicted that a key element of 

customer service in 2022 would 

be having someone who solely 

handles enquiries and messages 

on social media? Most businesses 

have one of those now, well, they 

do if they take this aspect of 

business seriously. The truth is 

the internet has changed many 

things about our business and it 

has emphasised the importance 

of good customer service. Not 

only do our customers have more 

ways than ever to contact us, but 

they also expect speedy replies 

and quick, painless resolutions. 

We can deliver those with proper 

customer service strategies, but 

a real downside of the online 

communication space is that any 

poor customer service we deliver 

will be publicised and promoted 

by disgruntled customers. Spend 

ten minutes on Twitter today 

and I guarantee someone you 

follow will be mentioning a 

company complaining about

BECOME A BETTER BUSINESS CUSTOMER SERVICE 

something they’ve done that 

they don’t consider to be good 

customer service. So, this world 

of constant contact is really a 

double-edged sword for us as 

brands – we can deliver speedy 

and resourceful customer 

service, we can also damage our 

reputation by doing something 

not deemed to be good in the 

eyes of the consumer. So, where 

do you start with a customer 

service strategy in this crazy 

modern world? 

CONSISTENCY IS KEY 

It might sound incredibly 

obvious, but one of the key 

attributes to any successful 

customer service strategy is 

consistency. You need everyone 

within your business to 

understand the objectives and 

really buy-in to what you what 

to deliver as a company. This 

goes for every single person: the 

CEO, the salesman on the road, 

the person on the phones, the 

marketing manager, the cleaner, 

the people in the factory. To 

deliver a consistent and effective 

style of customer service, you 

must explain and train your staff 

in how you want things to work. 

One of the best ways to do this 

is to put them in the shoes of 

the customers – how would you 

want to be dealt with by your 

company? This doesn’t just apply 

to instances when there is a 

problem, but also when things 

are running smoothly. Having 

a great customer experience 

during a smooth transaction will 

build loyalty with your brand. 

Think about someone buying 

a motorhome or caravan from 

you. If you can build excitement 

during the waiting period for 

it to be ready and then make 

the collection date a special 

event, then that customer will 

be even more thrilled with their 

purchase. Make the sale an 

event, have coffee, have flowers, 

have a proper hand-over where 

an enthusiastic member of 

staff shows them around the 

vehicle – small touches like this 

are the lighter side of customer 

service. Most people thing that 

this aspect of business only 

comes into play when there is a 

problem, the truth is that almost 

every interaction you have with 

end users shapes your customer 

experience strategy. 

© Annie Spratt Unsplash 

MANAGE EXPECTATIONS 

Another good thing to consider 

when creating a customer 

service strategy is thinking 

about what are realistic 

expectations for your company? 

There can be a temptation to 

want to offer a level of 24/7 

support that are simply unable 

to do. There’s no problem with 

this – just because Apple or 

▲ Clear and open comminication is key to customer service. 

Google offer round-the-clock 

help, doesn’t mean you have to. 

What’s important is that you 

are clear about what you CAN 

deliver. Something as simple 

as giving a time frame on 

how long you take to respond 

to requests can make all the 

difference and can help manage 

the expectations of emotional 

customers. Clarity will help 

you to offer a level of customer 

service that you can actually 

deliver. It also goes without 

saying that if you do this, you 

simple have to deliver what 

you say you will – nothing can 

damage the customer experience 

more irreversibly than a broken 

promise. Almost every customer 

you sell to has a job, they 

understand how companies 

work, and they are likely to be 

much more reasonable if you are 

open and honest about how you 

deal with them. 

MAKE THEM FEEL 

SPECIAL 

Customer service really is one 

of those categories where the 

small things add up. Little 

details can help to make 

your customers feel special – 

something as simple as a quick 

courtesy call to check they are 

enjoying their purchase, even 

if you do it with every single 

customer, will make most feel 

like you have gone the extra 

mile for them. Anything you do 

that shows you care about more 

than just the customer’s money 

is a win that can be priceless 

to your business and its 

reputation. Spend some serious 

time thinking about achievable 

wins that can be added to your 

experience – and make sure you 

ask everyone in the business 

for their own views. They are 

all consumers, and they all buy 

things from various companies, 

they may well have some great 

examples you can adapt to your 

own model. 


CUSTOMER SERVICE BECOME A BETTER BUSINESS 

TOP TIPS 

FOR 

IMPROVING 

YOUR 

CUSTOMER 

SERVICE 

01 02 03 

BE CLEAR AND GET BUY-IN FROM 

EVERYONE 

You absolutely need every single 

member of your team to understand 

what you are trying to deliver in 

terms of customer experience. Be 

clear on the overall mission, and also 

on the specific ways that individuals 

can help to achieve that. Whether 

it’s the salesperson in the showroom, 

staff representing you at a show 

or exhibition, or the people on the 

phones – if everyone knows the 

standards expected and your specific 

plans for how to help achieve these, 

then you are halfway there. 

MAP THE JOURNEY OF YOUR 

CUSTOMERS 

One really good way to fully 

understand your customers’ 

experiences is to map out their 

journey with you. Examine each 

aspect, from first considering that 

they might be interested in the 

product category you operate in, to 

researching your brand online or instore, 

to dealing with the company 

and making a transaction – and then 

also what happens if something 

goes wrong. Seeing things through 

the customer’s eyes is one very direct 

way to work out what you need to 

improve or change in the customer 

experience you offer. 

MAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE 

MEMORABLE 

A customer’s experience of dealing 

with you should be memorable, this 

is something that can really work 

in your favour when something 

does go wrong. If a customer’s 

usual dealings with you leave them 

thinking “that was a nice touch”, 

then they are likely to be more 

understanding and reasonable in 

the case of a problem. How can you 

make your customer feel special? 

What extra value can you add? 

Something as simple as a small 

free gift with an order or showing 

genuine interest and authentic, 

unbiased advice on their purchase 

can make all the difference. 


BECOME A BETTER BUSINESS CUSTOMER SERVICE 

04 

MAKE IT MEASURABLE 

BE 

At every opportunity you can, it is 

invaluable to get feedback from 

customers about their experience. 

This can help you measure how it is 

performing in a very real way. You 

could also analyse other data to help 

you ascertain whether you are doing 

a good job – look at repeat buyers, 

look at people who had an issue (was 

it solved, and did they buy again?), 

try to figure out why one-time 

purchasers never came back. The 

parameters you set will be specific 

to your own company, but there are 

always ways to measure if you are 

doing a good job or not. 

05 

CLEAR AND CONCISE 

BE 

How you communicate with your 

customers can have a big impact on 

their overall experience. You need 

to clearly explain how things work 

so that they’re expectations are in 

line with what you can deliver. This 

can include everything from clearly 

detailing how long orders take to 

fulfil, through to what your plan 

of action is to help them solve a 

problem. By not being vague, you 

will stop unrealistic expectations 

building, which means you are less 

likely to cause disappointment. 

06 

GENUINE 

No matter what company you are, 

no matter who you are selling to, 

one thing remains the same: we 

are all human beings. We are also 

all consumers; we all buy things. 

By being empathetic, genuine and 

human in your interactions, you 

will help to build a sense that your 

customers are dealing with real 

people and not a faceless brand. 

Be personable, be emotionally 

empathetic, be a nice person, 

apply logic and reasoning, and your 

customer service interactions are 

likely to be a whole lot happier than 

if you just have people reading stock 

answers out over the phone from a 

crib sheet. 



JACK WOLFSKIN 

3D AERORISE 40 

Introducing a backpack that features 

brand-new 3D-printed technology that Jack 

Wolfskin believes will change the game. 

The backpack features four independent 

3D-printed panels on the shoulders and 

lumbar areas to provide a lightweight, 

multi-zone body fit. The panels’ open cell 

structures with thousands of individual 

struts enhance ventilation, maintain 

comfort, and improve load control even with 

heavier loads. The technology, already in 

use by the sporting goods industry for high 

performance running shoes, is provided 

by polymer solutions provider Oechsler, an 

additive manufacturer in Germany, and 

Carbon, a pioneer in 3D printing. 

www.jack-wolfskin.com 

CHAUSSON 

660 LOWPROFILE 

The unique 660 motorhome layout from 

Chausson includes two access doors, 

a modular U-shaped lounge that can 

comfortably host up to eight people, 

and a glass interior wall to separate. The 

motorhome also benefits from sixspeed 

automatic gearbox, atmosphere 

LED lighting on the floor, automatic 

headlights and windscreen wipers, 

wraparound cab blines, premium 

mattresses on the bed, and a very wellequipped 

kitchen. 

www.chausson-camping-cars.fr 

SCALABROS 

VERANDA 

Italian roller blind and awning expert 

Scalabros can give campers an easyto-use 

protective outdoor space with 

its veranda. Offering great protection 

from sun, wind, or rain, the veranda is 

incredibly quick and easy to erect and 

can be adjusted to fit a wide range 

of campervans. It is also packed with 

features such as sliding inner curtains, 

non-woven crystal windows, sewn-in 

magnets to ensure a snug fit with the 

vehicle, and ant-wind and anti-rain 

spoilers. 

www.scalabros.it 

EASY CAMP 

CLIFF TARP 

Every outdoor enthusiast should own 

a tarp. And the Cliff Tarp (pictured 

below left) fits the bill. It is so versatile 

as an extra shelter for a tent, car or 

campervan and can be thrown up 

quickly to protect from rain and supply 

a shady area with a UPF 50+ rating. 

The Cliff Tarp measures a handy 3m 

x 3m in a light, durable PU-coated 

polyester fabric and is supplied with 

two 1.5m high steel upright poles. 

Eight webbing guyline loops are well 

reinforced for strength and durability. 

www.easycamp.com 



BALLISTOL 

STINGFREE MOSQUITO SPRAY 

Stingfree protects for up to six hours against irksome insect bites such as from gnats, stinging flies, 

gadflies, mosquitoes, sandflies, tropical mopane-flies and tsetse flies. 

Just spray it on your skin and forget about gnats and gadflies. Stingfree has been tested for its 

toxicological harmlessness and is successfully used on all continents: Be it in the tropical jungles of 

Brazil, the gnat-ridden forests of Finland, the subtropical rainwoods of the Himalayas, Africa or the 

subtropical zone of Australia, Stingfree convinced its users in any part of our world. 

Due to the plant oils that it contains, Stingfree, with its pleasant smell, also cares for your skin and 

protects it against dehydration. The UV-B filter that it contains also protects your skin against sunburn. 

www.ballistol.eu 

LIPPERT 

FURRION VISION S 

The innovative Furrion Vision S range of cameras and wireless 

kits not only eliminates blind spots during manoeuvring, but also 

offers surveillance of the area around camper vans, trucks, special 

vehicles, trailers and others. The systems are highly reliable, thanks 

to the use of 2.4 GHz digital wireless communications, which offers 

stability and long range up to 150 metres. All cameras in the range 

assure clear imaging, wide angles of view and night vision, while 

the monitors are available in three sizes – 4.3, 5 and 7 inches – with 

the option to view images from side and rear cameras as well as 

those mounted on the vehicle’s doorways. The smallest monitor 

displays only a single camera’s feed, while the two larger models 

can display up to four, either one at a time or all together. 

www.lci1.com 

www.lippertcomponents.eu 

BLACK DIAMOND 

MISSION 2P 

The Mission 2P is a fast pitching double wall tent built 

for mountaineering and expedition style pursuits. The 

hoop and hub exterior pole architecture of the Mission 

combined with the pre-attached fly allows the tent to be 

easily pitched in even the worst conditions. This unique 

hybrid dome/tunnel design is engineered to withstand 

high wind loads from all directions, while the scalloped 

perimeter and large vents provide ample airflow. The 30d 

high tenacity polyester fabric is seam-sealed, durable and 

does not sag in wet environments. Twin doors and double 

vestibules allow leeward access in strong weather, making 

the Mission a bomber shelter for basecamp layovers or 

high-altitude adventures. 

www.blackdiamondequipment.com 

TELECO 

T-NSA10DAB 

When touring with a camper, a multimedia system provides valuable driving 

assistance and can be an excellent travelling companion for the entire family. 

Teleco – a specialist in technological solutions for RV communications, energy 

management and entertainment - now presents a new Android-based product 

featuring a 10.1” touchscreen, one of the largest on the market. Compatible with 

all dashboards that can accommodate double-DIN frame systems (e.g. Fiat 

Ducato, Citröen Jumper and Peugeot Boxer), the new T-NSA10DAB has a tiltadjustable 

screen that ensures optimal viewing at all times. 

www.telecogroup.com 



ERIBA 

TOURING 820 

A classic design that embodies both the history and modernity of the 

Eriba brand, the Touring 820 is a caravan that showcases the very best 

of this German company. With a spacious 8.4m length and 2.3m width, 

the van sleeps between two and four people in luxury with plenty of rich 

features including panoramic window, smart home app compatibility, 

huge amounts of storage, a self-levelling system, a mood lighting concept, 

and market-leading heating and hot water system. The caravan recently 

celebrated the 100th van rolling off the production line in Germany, 

showing the appetite is there for luxury caravans such as this. 

www.eriba.com 

PEGGYPEG 

FIX & GO ANCHOR PLATE 2.0 

German innovator Peggy Peg has created a novel way to ensure 

that your awning stays firmly connected to the ground, but can 

also be quickly and easily moved or taken down. The Fix & Go 

Anchor Plate 2.0 is attached to the ground with Peggy Peg’s 

innovative screw-in tent pegs, and then an awning foot can easily 

be secure inside it. The plate and locks were designed to suit 

almost every kind of awning and tent poles. With the two orange 

sliders, you can quickly secure or unblock them in just seconds. 

The Peg&Stop works on almost every ground in combination 

with their locknuts. 

www.peggypegs.de 

STREETWIZE 

51L WATER HOG 

Water carriers like this are essential items to have on the 

campsite and this 51-litre model from Streetwize has plenty 

of features to make it ideal. It is fitted with two large tyres 

to make rolling it over any terrain easy, while the removable 

handle further adds to the ease of transport. It is made 

from food-grade HDPE so you can be sure water will be safe 

inside and the product is also made and manufactured in 

the United Kingdom. 

www.streetwizeaccessories.com 

GREENAKKU 

SOLAR BAG GOLD 

The Greenakku Solar Bag offers campers and caravanners a 

wide range of possibilities for generating and using energy 

when on the move. As well as helping you generate energy, it 

can also be used a charger, helping you charge devices and 

even batteries too. Better yet, the unit is lightweight and can 

be folded away when not in use. It utilises highly efficient 

solar energy cells that can generate energy even when not in 

full sunlight. 

www.greenakku.de 



THERM-A-REST 

PARSEC 

Designed to deliver maximum comfort 

while meeting high standards for 

lightweight packability, the awardwinning 

Parsec 20F/-6C sleeping bag is 

the go-to choice when you need one bag 

to take you from early spring through 

late fall. Filled with highly compressible 

800-fill Nikwax Hydrophobic Down that 

absorbs 90 per cent less water and dries 

3 times faster than untreated down, the 

Parsec delivers superior performance in 

wet weather. The sleeping bag has been 

fully updated for 2022. 

www.thermarest.com 

SIERRA DESIGNS 

FLEX CAPACITOR 

Billed by Sierra Designs as the versatile 

pack that hauls it all, the Flex Capacitor 

is a beast of a backpack that is designed 

for rough conditions in the backcountry, 

yet offers great space and adjustability. 

Simply by loosening the horizontal 

gusstes you can add an additional 15-20 

litres of cargo capacity for longer trips – 

or you can cinch it tight when you don’t 

need that extra space. The ample quickstash 

solutions on the straps, sides and 

bucket lid ensure there are plenty of 

places to store your mid-trail essentials. 

The Y-Flex suspension adds support so 

this lightweight backpack can hit well 

above its weight class. 

www.sierradesigns.com 

EXPED 

ULTRA 3R 

The Ultra 3R sleeping mat is a super 

lightweight sleeping mat that is ideal for 

camping and other outdoor activities. It 

feature Synmat Technology Texpedloft 

insulation welded to the top and 

bottom of the air chambers, ensures 

maximum warmth over the lifetime of 

the mat while a 7 cm thick air cushion 

cradles the body. These air chambers 

run head to toe, fully supporting the 

body for an unrivalled night’s sleep 

and giving maximum durability. The 

lightweight and compact Ultra sleeping 

mat features recycled 20 D ripstop face 

fabric; all EXPED mats are certified 

carbon neutral by myclimate. 

www.exped.com 

TRUMA 

LEVEL CHECK 

A novel way to quickly and easily check 

the gas level in almost any steel or 

aluminium LPG cylinder comes in the 

shape of the Truma Level Check. This 

lightweight yet sturdy unit is designed 

to be easy to use with a bright and clear 

LED display that gives an instant result. 

It also features an integrated torch 

in case the cylinder you’re checking 

happens to be in the dark (places 

like the garage of the motorhome 

for example). It can operate in 

temperatures from -15C through to 40C. 

www.truma.com 



ECOFLOW 

POWER KITS 

Designed to make creating custom power solutions easier than ever, 

EcoFlow’s Power Kits simplify the sometimes demanding process of having 

power in your RV or camper. The EcoFlow Power Kits come with two basic 

modules – the EcoFlow Power Hub, which acts as the central node for all 

inputs and outputs, and EcoFlow’s 2K/5KWh LFP Batteries. Based on actual 

power needs, the EcoFlow Power Hub can connect to up to three LFP 

Batteries, which together offer a base capacity of 2KWh and are expandable 

to 15KWh, allowing users to power a motorhome for 18 hours and an off-grid 

house for 11 to 14 hours1 without using any source of input. 

www.eu.ecoflow.com 

ERIBA 

FEELING 515 AND NOVA LIGHT 515 

The Eriba Feeling and Nova Light models now feature new 515 

layouts. The two family-friendly caravans guarantee the level of 

comfort you would expect from Eriba and feel like a home from 

home. The compact Eriba Feeling 515 is characterised by its low 

body height and aerodynamic properties, as well as a pop-top roof. 

When opened, a headroom of 198 cm can be created in just a few 

simple steps. With its total height coming in at 257 cm, the Eriba 

Nova Light 515 also offers a generous headroom of 198 cm. 

www.hymer.com 

MALIBU 

540 BD AND 600 LE VANS 

Malibu Van compact is the name of the 540 DB and 600 LE 

models with a transverse bed and lengthways single beds. 

The two vans are predestined for everyday use on 365 days 

per year. If more travelling comfort is required, there are the 

600 DB and 640 LE models. These are characterised by the 

large comfort kitchen and the unique, extremely spacious 

XL Flexi washroom. As an alternative, the 600 DB K and 640 

LE K diversity all-rounders impress with their XL comfort 

kitchen, a wide aisle and a feeling of spaciousness due to 

having a clear line of sight. 

www.malibu-carthago.com 

SNOW PEAK 

LANDLOCK 

The new Landlock from Japanese camping expert Snow 

Peak is a combination of tent and shelter and is the brand’s 

most popular model. The six- person tent is very sturdy even 

in the worst weather conditions thanks to its rigid framework. 

It features a spacious living area with two access doors which 

offer plenty of light and one bedroom. We first saw this tent 

at the Outdoor Trade Show 2022 and were very impressed 

with the smart design behind it. 

www.snowpeak.com 



FENDT 

TENDENZA 

Described by German caravan expert 

Fendt as one of its modern trendsetters, 

the 2023 version of the Tendenza 

features a completely new concept 

and layout set to thrill users. There are 

seven layouts in total and new features 

of the range include new décor, LFI 

technology, 1.98m of headroom, queensized 

beds, Alde hot water and heating, 

double USB sockets as standard, sevenzone 

comfort mattresses, new modern 

kitchen with improved cooker, tap and 

sink, and Truma Combi 4 or Combi 6 

gas heating. 

www.fendt-caravan.com 

FINE BEDDING CO 

NIGHT OWL 

SLEEPING BAG 

The Night Owl Sleeping Bag is a stylish 

way to sleep whether you’re camping, 

caravanning or simply staying at a 

friend’s for the night. Combining the 

familiar comfort of a duvet with the 

convenience and practicality of a 

sleeping bag, the 3-in-1 can be used as 

a double or two singles with wrapped 

round comfort. Alternatively, the newly 

launched single sleeping bag can be 

used as a solo sleeping bag, or as a 

double duvet. The sleeping bag comes 

with two-way access and an auto-lock 

zip which keeps you secure and snug all 

night long. 

www.finebedding.co.uk 

IGLOO 

RECOOL 

Introducing the world’s first cooler 

made entirely from biodegradable 

materials: RECOOL. Created to provide 

an alternative to environmentally 

harmful foam coolers, RECOOL can 

biodegrade and return to the Earth 

after use, rather than polluting our 

environment or filling a landfill. RECOOL 

is durable and won’t chip or scratch 

easily or make annoying squeaking 

noises like foam coolers. 

www.igloocoolers.co.uk 

ALPKIT 

VAGABOND LIGHT- 

WEIGHT TABLE 

Vagabond Lightweight Table is the 

perfect table for car camping trips 

when you need somewhere to prepare 

the evening meal or a convenient, 

flat surface to work on. Made from 

aluminium alloy, it’s lightweight (only 

700g), durable and is assembled quickly. 

With a 40cm height it stands relatively 

low to make close-to-the-ground 

campsite tasks easy. It pairs perfectly 

with Alpkit’s Vagabond chairs and is 

optimised for two people. There’s a 

mesh storage pocket for small items 

and the top is tough 60D Oxford 

polyester. 

www.alpkit.com 


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Camping Trade World – Issue 09

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