Motorhome tourism on the Lower Rhine: Boom brings millions in sales!

Motorhome tourism on the Lower Rhine: Boom brings millions in sales!

Motorhome tourism in the Lower Rhine is experiencing an impressive boom, which is expected to bring the region over three million overnight stays by 2026. How WDR reports, Niederrhein Tourismus GmbH plans to achieve this goal, while managing director Martina Baumgärtner underlined the positive developments at a specialist conference in Xanten.

The geographical location of the Lower Rhine, nestled between the Netherlands and the Ruhr area, is proving to be increasingly attractive for campers. The region offers numerous camping and parking spaces, from Emmerich to Heinsberg, which are very popular. The industrial culture of the Ruhr area is also in the immediate vicinity, which gives motorhome tourism an additional boost.

Overnight stay numbers on the rise

The number of overnight stays in the Lower Rhine has been rising continuously for years, with the exception of the Corona period. In 2022 alone, the region recorded 400,000 overnight stays at motorhome and camping sites, making it the third most popular travel destination in North Rhine-Westphalia. These overnight stays account for more than 15 percent of the total overnight stays in NRW, Lower Rhine tourism emphasizes that the turnover from guests on pitches is comparable to well-known camping destinations such as the Baltic Sea or the Allgäu.

The motorhome industry in Germany is an important economic factor and generates annual sales of over 20 billion euros. In 2024, sales in the Lower Rhine region are expected to be around 78 million euros. Parking space prices on the Lower Rhine are around 25 euros per day, which is competitive compared to the higher average prices nationwide.

Marketing and networking for motorhome tourism

In order to further promote motorhome tourism, marketing experts from the districts of Kleve, Wesel, Viersen and Heinsberg have come together. 48 cities and municipalities are networked with one another in order to specifically improve the offering for camping vacationers. The “Motorhome and Camping on the Lower Rhine” working group supports the exchange between municipalities and operators. In addition, the Lower Rhine Motorhome Days are held annually on the last weekend in April to promote the region and also provide information on current camping trends.

The region not only offers a dense network of parking spaces, but also numerous offers for hiking and cycling tours that enrich the experience for campers. With the increasing interest in motorhome tourism, the Lower Rhine can establish itself as a hotspot for caravanning, especially in the context of the nationwide trend Lower Rhine tourism clearly stated.