Swapping hotel rooms for a camper is an option that is gaining more and more fans. The flexibility and freedom of traveling with your home on your back, without having to hold on to it Check in It is Checking out, is becoming a new trend in tourism. In just three years, the motorhome trade in Portugal has almost tripled. According to Yescapa, a rental platform for this type of vehicle, eight thousand trips were made in the country in 2022, a 166% increase from pre-pandemic and a 40% increase from 2021.
Foreigners were the ones who contributed most to the company’s growth, accounting for 45% of the trips purchased. The Germans, the French, the Spaniards and the Italians are the most important sales markets in this segment, but the Portuguese are also gaining expression.
“Portugal has consolidated itself in recent years as one of the countries of choice for the practice, and one of the markets most in demand as a tourist destination on Yescapa. The main reasons that lead foreigners to choose Portugal are its mild climate, which allows you to travel at any time of the year, the geographical shape of the country that allows travelers to move around easily, the gastronomy and the attractive price compared to other European countries,” explains the country manager of Yescapa Portugal , Mary out. Liquid.
Demand will continue to rise in the coming months and a new rental record is expected this year. “We expect this year 2023 to grow by 30% compared to the previous year. In Portugal, we have more than a thousand vehicles for rent, but if more were available at certain times of the year, such as in the summer, there would be be rented more,” explains.
“In Portugal we have over a thousand vehicles for rent, but if more were available at certain times of the year, like in the summer, more would be rented.”
Maria Liquito adds that last year the number of vehicles registered on the platform increased by 35% and the goal is to further expand the list of owners in what is the Airbnb of motorhomes. “The goal this year is to expand the fleet available on our platform, allowing more people to discover motorhomes on the one hand and allowing more people to monetize their investment while not using the vehicle on the other,” he points out.
For the owners, the bills are also added and the rents have doubled compared to 2019, with an average of 575 euros. Every year, each owner makes ten rental properties, which amounts to an income of 5750 euros. “Recreational vehicle owners are beginning to realize that they can get the most out of their vehicle while not using it, and for many it is an additional source of income to pay for maintenance costs, for example. Sharing benefits both parties – owners who can make money with their vehicle when they are not using it and renters who can discover campers,” adds Maria Liquito.
The tenant profile is mainly filled by couples and families between 35 and 44 years old, with one or two children. Young couples follow and finally groups of friends. “In this context, the foreign public represents 50% of the reservations made in Portugal in 2022. 15% of the rentals are for a test trip before purchasing their own rental car. Most customers have never traveled in a motorhome and are looking for flexibility and contact with nature,” adds the head of the Portuguese market.
Big cities and Algarve lead to reservations
Lisbon, Porto and Algarve are the cities with the most reservations, but the islands are also gaining popularity among caravaners. “Portugal is a visited and sought-after destination for motorhome travel. We have routes in the north, for example through Gerês and Douro, National Route 2, and along the coast of Vicentina and the Algarve. We see an increase in demand for inland destinations , center of the country and river beaches,” says the country manager of Yescapa Portugal.
The duration of travel has become shorter, but the frequency is increasing. That is, these tourists exchange the usual 15-day vacation for various getaways during weekends and holidays throughout the year. And if summer is undoubtedly peak season for caravans, interest has also grown during the colder months. “More and more Portuguese, especially during festive seasons such as Christmas or Easter, tend to exchange a hotel for a motorhome. This mode of travel allows for more privacy and currently motorhomes are already more than prepared for travel in colder areas because of the warming, which means that many people travel outside the high season,” he concludes.
Source: DN
