When the coronavirus turned life upside down, campers and motorhomes were more in demand than ever. Vanlife was already a big topic in the mountain bike community and found more riders. Suddenly, mobile dwellings were one of the few options for traveling at all.

It came as it had to: campers became scarce - as in the bike industry, this was not only due to increased demand, but also to restrictions that hindered the supply of vehicles.

Those who have witnessed how the bike market has developed in recent years will also be familiar with the sequel. Gradually, the situation in the supply chain eased, the large orders were delivered and exceeded what was left of the demand.

Bankruptcies and corruption

This put pressure on manufacturers (or more precisely: conversion companies) such as Knaus Tabbert, dealers such as Camper Base and rental companies such as Off Camper. Vans and motorhomes need a lot of space and maintenance should not be underestimated. Added to this are increased energy prices and interest rates. Business expansions and investments at the height of the coronavirus boom have become crippling ballast.

The result: Knaus Tabbert has halted production of new vehicles in 2024 until the excess stock has been reduced. Camper Base is insolvent, as is Off Camper. However, the latter want to continue with a significantly reduced fleet and are looking for investors. Other insolvent motorhome companies: Auto und Freizeit Nord (dealers), Roadfans and Plugvan (both rental companies). 

The figures from the German Caravanning Industry Association do not yet paint a dramatic picture, the annual balance for 2024 is still positive, only December is significantly below the same month of the previous year at 12 percent. However, the bankruptcies speak a clear language.

Knaus Tabbert went public in 2020 and the share price peaked at 73 euros in April 2021 (entry price 58 euros). At the beginning of 2025, one share was still worth 12.50 euros. Which probably contributed further to the loss of confidence: At the end of November 2024, the police picked up two of the company's managers. A short time later, they were placed in detention. 165 officers searched several company offices - allegedly including the one in Switzerland. The accused allegedly accepted bribes from suppliers.

Consolidation in Switzerland too

A propos Switzerland. Sales of new campers and motorhomes are also declining here: new registrations fell by 10 percent from 2023 to 2024. One company boss told the "Berner Zeitung" that not all companies operating in this field will survive the crisis. It is interesting to note that registrations have fallen less sharply than new sales, namely by around 8 percent. Business appears to be shifting in part to occasion vehicles, as "Blick" found out.

Camper and bike markets therefore also share the consolidation that such difficult times often bring. Those with enough reserves can ride out the crisis. There is one last parallel to be drawn from the surplus stock: campervans and motorhomes are also currently available at huge discounts.