New motorhomes proving increasingly attractive

An increasing number of people are buying motorhomes in the UK, according to the latest industry figures.

The latest industry data, which covers up to August 2016, shows new motorhome registrations are currently up 13.5% on the same period last year. The total stands at 9,232 with still four months to go.

Sales at the recent Motorhome and Caravan Show at the NEC, Birmingham, exceeded predictions and suggest that 2016 may see the most motorhomes and campervans ever sold in one year.

British manufacturers were to the fore with Bailey of Bristol declaring that it had achieved its best-ever sales performance at the October show thanks to the launch of its all-new Autograph range of coachbuilt motorhomes.

Simon Howard, Bailey’s Marketing Director, also commented that the motorhome hobby is clearly attracting a new audience. “Traditional, mature clients might be purchasing with pension windfalls but more families are also buying into the idea of motorhomes,” he said.

Swift, Britain's largest motorhome manufacturer, said it enjoyed its third-best motorhome sales performance at the show, adding that it is also seeing an increase in sales of its larger coachbuilt motorhomes, such as its Kon-tiki (pictured).

Meanwhile, Lee Roberts, Sales Director of Lunar Motorhomes, said it had seen a 23% increase in sales over the first three days of the show compared to the same period of 2015’s show. “We had a record show last year by a long way and we hoped we would match that, but our figures are up.”

And it’s not just British manufacturers who are attracting record numbers of customers.

Slavica Sterk, Managing Director of Adria Motorhomes, said, “It has been our most successful show since the recession and we’re currently enjoying our best sales season ever.”