On Trend Caravans to Tempt Younger Campers?

  • 12th Oct 2015

Can a caravan ever be 'trendy' or have designers missed the trick when it comes to appealing to younger campers? Will caravans ever succeed in changing their slightly staid, Sunday-afternoon image? Could you ditch the tent, eschew the campervan or motorhome and convert to a caravan? Or will caravans be firmly relegated to the past? The numbers might suggest that more young people are converting but how do most people really think of caravans?

Caravans are one of those things that people seem to love or hate. Those who love caravans will tell you how comfortable they can be and how much easier it is to take your portable holiday accommodation around with you when you can leave it somewhere when you get there rather than having to lug it around with you wherever you go. Those who hate caravans will often site the difficulties of towing the things and the lower number of pitch choices. But in all honesty, a lot of what often puts a lot of younger campers off caravans is their image.

There is no doubt about it, there are plenty of 'cool' caravans on the market. Happy hipsters up and down the land can choose vintage gems, curved baby-blue numbers and ergonomic designs kitted out with real wood and other luxurious finishes. There is a small but gently growing number of younger campers who is choosing to take a caravan to festivals or on camping holidays around the UK. But compared to those choosing tenting or motorhomes, caravanning is, amongst the younger generations, still very much a minority pursuit. So what are designers doing to encourage more people under 35 to buy and use caravans?

The first thing is aesthetics. Appearances are not everything but vintage trends and modern design preferences mean that caravans are no longer looking like the boxy rectangles they were thirty or forty years ago. Inside, they are tricked and kitted out as a variety of funky contemporary spaces.

Custom and customisable interiors appeal to a younger, fashion-conscious crowd.

Another thing that attracts a younger ground is affordable tech.. Caravan designers take into account the 21st Century needs of those using them and there is space to plug in all your devices etc.. Mechanical developments also mean that caravans are easier to tow and site than ever before.

The growing number of pop-up campsites and trendy city and country campgrounds for younger clientele also means that caravanning is no longer merely the preserve of the grandparents but appeals to many of the grandchildren as well.

The question is, could caravanning be right for you?