Europe's camper season opens with deals and one-way rentals

European manufacturers have presented a motorhome concept with a built-in garage. The model allows for transporting a compact sports car, enhancing mobility options at the destination. The concept targets a niche market of road travelers.

The camping.info portal has announced the winners of its annual award, based solely on user ratings. For 2026, five campsites in Austria, Germany, and Italy were selected from over 62,000 votes. The winning sites feature extensive amenities such as pools, spa areas, and children's activities.

European innovations could make winter camping in motorhomes and caravans more comfortable. Fraunhofer researchers are developing phase-change material walls that store and release heat, while companies Heliatek and Exeger create flexible solar films for any surface. These technologies are currently experimental and not yet applied in production campers.

The European General Safety Regulation II (GSR II) mandates driver assistance systems for new motorhomes. From July 2026, all newly registered motorhomes must be equipped with systems such as emergency braking and fatigue detection assistants. Requirements vary by vehicle weight: models under 3.5 tonnes require eight systems, while heavier ones need four.

The OpenVan.camp editorial team analyzed 3,581 news stories from 56 countries in early 2026. Declining sales in Germany and the USA, Hyundai electric campers, budget Wuling motorhomes, KAMAZes with saunas in Russia, parking bans in Turkey — a comprehensive overview of motorhome industry trends by world region.

Promobil magazine has compiled a ranking of Europe's best campsites for 2026 based on an analysis of over 25,000 camper reviews. The top three spots are held by Club Camping Jesolo International in Italy, Camping De Kleine Wolf in the Netherlands, and Yelloh! Village Le Brasilia in France. The list also features top-rated sites in Croatia, Austria, Spain, and Germany.