Last week in the motorhome world had it all: Americans sold their UK park chain for $1 billion, Sardinia put up barriers against wild parking, ADAC released 4 ready-made routes through Hesse, and a family from Singapore sold their flat and set off for Turkey in a camper with their kids.
Last week at a glance
- UK chain Park Holidays (dozens of caravan parks across the UK) was bought by a European fund for $1.03 billion — the old American owner is leaving Britain.
- ADAC released 4 ready-made routes through Germany's Hesse — from Kassel to Edersee, you can go in June without any planning.
- Sardinia's Alghero is installing barriers at its port to stop unauthorised motorhome parking — in summer 2026 you won't get in there without a booking.
- Argentina's Tandil banned overnight stays in motorhomes on the streets from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. and dumping grey/black water in unauthorised places — another country where going wild is getting harder.
- A family from Singapore sold their flat and is heading to Turkey in a camper with two kids — they set off on 3 May for six months on the road.
UK caravan parks change hands: what this means for you
American company Sun Communities, which owns the Park Holidays chain — dozens of caravan and camper parks across the UK — has sold its entire British business to European investment fund Aermont for $1.03 billion (£768 million). The Americans are leaving the UK entirely and taking the money home to North America — where, they say, the camping business is growing faster.
Park Holidays isn't a small operation. If you've ever stayed at a British holiday park with a motorhome or caravan, chances are it was one of theirs. Now these parks have a new owner — a European fund that deals in property and makes its money on long-term rentals.
For travellers, the short-term picture stays the same: parks are running, bookings are valid, prices are fixed until the end of the season. But new owners almost always start with the same thing: reviewing rates and deciding which sites to keep for tourists and which to convert for long-term residents — that's more profitable for them.
What this means for you
If you're planning a UK trip for the 2026 season — book now, while prices are still old. If you want to lock in a spot at your favourite Park Holidays park for 2027 — watch for announcements in autumn: new owners usually rework the price grid in the off-season. And one more thing: when deals like this happen, some parks get sold off individually later — which can mean a change in the site's character (it was family tourism, now it's residential for retirees). If you have a regular "home" park in the UK — call the management and ask straight out whether the park will stay on the new list. Right now they'll answer more honestly than they will in six months.
In brief
- Japan, market: in April's motorhome rankings, 5 of the 10 most popular models are tiny kei-cars. The Japanese are switching to the most compact campers — it's about their parking and taxes, but the trend is interesting.
- USA, industry: Forest River — one of the biggest motorhome makers in the States — is putting Expion360 lithium-ion batteries into its Georgetown and Dynamax models. If you're shopping for a new American Class A — it's now "lithium out of the box."
- Germany, builds: a woman from Spenge converted a former ambulance into a camper called "Sir Ernest". Decommissioned ambulances give you a lot of space for sensible money — a solid alternative to Sprinters on price.
- UK, builds: a maker from Staffordshire built a micro-camper on a written-off Fiat Doblo Maxi and is driving it on a 72-hour round trip to the Nürburgring and back to raise money for NSPCC.
- UK, culture: 16-year-old Venezuela Fury, after her wedding, denied rumours she was moving into a caravan — turns out the newlyweds are living in a static chalet on her parents' plot.
- Switzerland: St. Gallen cantonal police will be in Oberbüren on 6 June weighing motorhomes for free and advising on weight. A real chance to find out if you're overloaded.
- Turkey: Antalya again became the top caravan destination for Eid al-Adha — the Konyaaltı campsite for 70 vehicles is full of tourists from Turkey and abroad.
- Saudi Arabia: on the Mecca–Medina highway mobile caravans have been launched to help pilgrims during Hajj season — free roadside assistance for broken-down vehicles.
- USA, film: on 22 May the horror film "Passenger" by Andre Ovredal was released — about a couple in a camper pursued by a demon on night roads. The perfect "don't watch alone at a campsite" film.
- Spain, economics: a couple from Catalonia shared the real cost of living in a van — the conversion ate the whole budget, and monthly spending hits €1000+. Not really a saving compared to renting.
- UK, opening: Denbighshire county council unanimously approved extending Cae'r Mynydd park from 42 to 60 pitches — despite objections from the local community council over drainage.
- Japan, rentals: over Golden Week in Japan, the top rentals weren't kei-cars but large Robinson cab-overs. Buy compact, rent big — the Japanese formula.
Where to go
Hesse (Germany), June. ADAC and Hessen Tourismus have just rolled out 4 ready-made motorhome routes across the state — from Kassel to Lake Edersee, through Lahn-Dill-Bergland, Rheingau-Taunus and Rheinhessen. It's a rare case of an auto club actually doing the work for you: tracks, stops, recommended campsites. Perfect for short 4–7 day trips in June and July, when southern Germany is packed and Hesse is quiet and green. The Edersee route is particularly good: lake, reservoir, Dambusters-style dam and campsites with direct water access. If you've been wanting to go to Germany but didn't know exactly where — this is your excuse.
Heads up
And finally...
Two stories worth forwarding.
Family from Singapore → Turkey. Four people, two kids, sold their flat in Singapore and set off on 3 May in a camper on the Singapore–Turkey route. Six months on the road, the kids learning right in the van. It's the kind of story that lights up Facebook groups: "look, they did it — and we keep putting it off."
A homeless veteran and his dog. Tom Miner, a U.S. Army veteran, lived on the streets of Fort Worth with his dog Jake for nearly two years. Last week, the non-profit Operation Texas Strong gave him a $11,000 motorhome. Before picking up the vehicle, Tom left Jake at a fire station so the dog wouldn't "see the horror of homeless life" — now he hopes to get his dog back.
This week's questions
What exactly did Sun Communities sell in Britain?
The Park Holidays chain — dozens of caravan and motorhome parks across the UK. The buyer is European investment fund Aermont Capital, deal value $1.03 billion (£768 million). It's not individual parks but the entire British side of the business.
Can you go wild with a motorhome at Alghero port in summer 2026?
No. Authorities are installing electronic barriers and tightening control at the port under the "Decor" project. Book a campsite or official sosta in advance. The same tightening applies to all of Sardinia and many tourist coasts in Italy.
Why go to Hesse in a motorhome in June?
ADAC and Hessen Tourismus have just released 4 ready-made routes across the state — from Kassel to Edersee. A quiet, green region with minimal tourist overload and campsites with water access. A good option for a 4–7 day trip if southern Germany is packed.
Forest River is now fitting lithium-ion "out of the box" — on which models?
On the Georgetown and Dynamax Grand Sport model lines (Class A). The battery supplier is Expion360. If you're shopping for a new American-built Class A — ask the dealer about lithium-ion packs; it's now a standard option, not an upgrade.
"Passenger" 2026 — is it about real van life or just a setting?
It's a horror film by Andre Ovredal, in cinemas from 22 May. A couple travels across the U.S. in a camper and faces a demonic pursuit on night roads. Critics note the atmosphere, but there isn't much real van life there — it's a genre horror with the van as a setting, not a documentary.
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