🇶🇦 Qatar — OpenVan.camp

Caravan and cabin manufacturers in Qatar have increased production ahead of the 2026/2027 winter camping season. Prices range from around QR60,000 for smaller cabins to around QR1.5mn for luxury caravans. Raw material costs have risen by almost 35%, and container shipping costs have climbed from around $1,700 to $13,000. One factory has completed the manufacture, maintenance and refurbishment of approximately 170 caravans since April.

Motorhome and cabin factories in Qatar have increased readiness for the 2026/2027 winter camping season amid rising demand since April and waiting lists at some plants due to demand exceeding production capacity. Prices for motorhomes and cabins range from 60,000 riyals to about 1.5 million riyals depending on size and specifications. A rise in manufacturing material prices of up to 35% and a jump in shipping costs from about $1,700 to $13,000 per container have created challenges, but factories have limited price increases for customers.

Maintenance work on caravans and cabins has begun at the Sealine parking complex ahead of registration for the 2026/2027 winter camping season, which opens on 11 October, with the season itself starting on 25 October. Owners are moving caravans and cabins out of campsites for annual servicing, including welding, electrical repairs, plumbing, satellite dish installation, painting, and tire checks. The cost of caravan maintenance ranges from 7,000 to 8,000 riyals, depending on condition and equipment.

Qatar has allocated 10,000 mobile homes for victims of the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey. The mobile homes will be transported to the affected regions, and an air bridge has been established for relief efforts, with its first flight carrying an international search and rescue team equipped with a field hospital and winter supplies.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Qatar has announced the end of the 2025/2026 winter camping season, which lasted 6 months. Starting today, campers can apply for a refund of the 10,000 Qatari riyal insurance deposit via the ministry's website or the 'Bia' app. The refund will be processed within 72 hours. A total of 2,991 campsites were registered this season, including 1,314 land-based, 1,247 in nature reserves, and 440 marine sites.

Qatari authorities have closed about 10% of camping sites as a preventive security measure. In the 2025/2026 season, 2,991 sites were registered, 58 violations were found, and 9 camps were dismantled.

Camp owners in Qatar have asked the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to extend the winter camping season by one month. Heavy rains over recent weeks made access to campsites difficult, especially in Sealine, due to waterlogged soil. Campers note that current mild weather supports continued activities, and an extension would allow them to make up for lost time and safely dismantle equipment. A proposal also suggests allowing sea camping in summer on designated beaches.

Qatar's Natural Reserves Department will begin disposing of abandoned cabins and caravans in two areas from February. Owners must pay fees and renew licenses by the end of January, otherwise their property will be destroyed. In the Sailin area alone, there are over a hundred such abandoned units.

Qatari authorities will begin disposing of abandoned cabins and caravans in the Sileen and Al-Ghariya natural reserves from February if owners do not pay fees and renew licenses by the end of January. Over 100 units, some abandoned since 2016, are located in parking areas and were not removed after the camping season ended.

Qatar's Ministry of Environment has called on owners to remove abandoned caravans from designated parking areas in Sealine and Al Ghariya by the end of January 2026. Owners must either obtain required permits from the Natural Reserves Department or remove their trailers. Legal action against non-compliant units will begin from February 1, 2026.

Qatar's Ministry of Interior has announced specific time windows for towing caravans and trailers ahead of the 2025-2026 winter camping season. Towing is permitted from Sunday to Wednesday between 8am and 5pm, and from Thursday to Saturday between 8am and 12noon. The season runs from October 15, 2025, to April 15, 2026, with regulations requiring drivers to keep to the right lane, avoid overtaking, and refrain from towing during low visibility or fog.