Despite the soggy summers and worrisome winters we often experience here in the UK, we can reveal that it’s actually Europe’s number one hotspot for caravanners and motorhomers.
That’s right – our latest study* shows that caravanners and motorhomers love nothing more than fish and chips overlooking the English Riviera, or hiking around one of our many national parks.
Sweden comes in at second place, thanks to its appealing mix of lakeside locations, coastal hideaways, and culture-filled cities such as Stockholm and Gothenburg.
France rounds out the top three, which is perhaps unsurprising given its proximity to the rest of mainland Europe, not to mention its enchanting countryside and gastronomic delights!
We’ve analysed the number of caravan and camping sites across Europe, the total number of nights spent there, the number of trips taken, the amount spent on renting sites, and the number of new touring and motor caravan registrations per 100,000 residents, to uncover Europe’s top caravan hotspots.
So, let’s dive in and find out which countries are the best for caravan and motorhome holidays…
Hover over or click on a country to reveal the findings on each map.
How many nights did Europeans spend camping and caravanning?
We’ve taken a look at data from Eurostat, which tells us the highest number of nights spent in caravan parks and campsites across Europe, as well as the highest number of domestic and outbound nights spent per 100,000 people.
People from the UK spend the highest number of nights in caravan parks and campsites across the continent, with a huge total of over 232,000 nights. This is followed by France, with our neighbours enjoying over 139,000 nights camping or caravanning, and Switzerland, with over 135,000 nights.
In terms of domestic nights spent, i.e. people who took a camping/caravanning trip in the same country they’re from, France leads the pack with over 124,000 nights spent exploring their homeland. Next is Sweden with over 84,000 nights, then the UK with over 74,000.
When it comes to outbound nights spent in caravan parks and campsites, i.e. people who took a trip to a different country than the one they’re from, Brits appear to be the most avid adventurers, with over 157,000 outbound nights in total. Switzerland’s next in the league of explorers with over 116,000 nights spent abroad, followed by Slovenia with over 88,000.
Which country has the most choice when it comes to the number of caravan parks and campsites?
According to stats from camping.info, France has the highest number of caravan parks and campsites in Europe, with 8,853 in total. This is much more than anywhere else in Europe: The Netherlands has 1,983 sites, followed by Sweden with 550.
However, when taking population into account, Luxembourg has the third-highest density of sites, with 10.6 per 100,000 people, followed by Denmark with 8.1.
Where in Europe do the most devoted caravanners come from?
Referencing data based on 100,000 people from Eurostat again, Slovenia ranks first with 12,125 outbound trips. Switzerland is next with 7,399 trips, and the UK isn’t far behind with 7,089.
With regards to domestic caravanning jaunts, the UK leads with 17,420 trips, followed by Sweden with 16,073. France takes the third spot, with 15,806 trips.
Where in Europe are the most caravans registered?
Based on numbers from Statista, 40 touring caravans per 100,000 people were newly registered in Denmark in 2017. This was the largest number of registrations in Europe, very closely followed by the Netherlands with 39 registrations per 100,000, and the UK with 36.
In terms of actual volume, the UK takes the top spot, with 24,033 touring caravan registrations, then Germany with 22,072, and France with 8,128.
The most newly-registered motor caravans in the same time period were in Sweden, with 64 per 100,000 people. Next in line was Switzerland with 52 motor caravan registrations, and Germany with 49.
Again, when it comes to the actual volume of motor caravan registrations, Germany leads with 40,568, followed by France with 21,333, and the UK with 14,062.
Who are the big spenders on domestic trips?
So, how much are caravanners across Europe spending on domestic trips? According to Eurostat, Brits are the top spenders with a spend of €6,496 per 100,000 people. Denmark comes in second with a spend of €4,395, followed by France with €3,306.
Actual spends were over €4.3 million in the UK, over €2.1 million in France, and over €1.2 million in Germany.
Before you travel to one of Europe’s most popular caravanning or camping spots, ensure your caravan or motorhome is covered by Safeguard – remember, EU cover is included as standard with our policies, and you’ll be covered for any EU road trips, 365 days a year.
*We have produced a caravan hotspots index score out of ten for each country by analysing the number of caravan sites (taken from camping.info) , nights spent in caravan sites, caravan trips, the amount spent on renting sites (all taken from Eurostat) along with the number of new touring and motor caravan registrations (taken from Statista) per 100,000 residents to uncover who the continent’s biggest caravan lovers are.