More than 85,000 visitors attended the preview day and opening weekend of Caravan Salon Düsseldorf 2026, confirming strong consumer interest in caravanning and mobile holidays despite a more challenging economic environment for the industry.
The figure, covering the Preview Day on 28 August and the first two days of the show, was announced by the organisers after the opening weekend. Visitor numbers were particularly high on Saturday, when the strong influx also resulted in waiting times for access to the exhibition grounds. The result is slightly below the almost 90,000 visitors recorded during the opening weekend of the 2025 edition. Nevertheless, the turnout represents a strong start for the 2026 show, particularly considering the more cautious conditions currently affecting the recreational vehicle market.
This year’s Caravan Salon brings together 834 exhibitors from 41 countries, making it the largest edition to date in terms of exhibitors. The show runs in Düsseldorf from 28 August to 6 September and covers 15 exhibition halls as well as extensive outdoor areas.
The strong visitor numbers come against a mixed background for the German recreational vehicle market. According to the Caravaning Industrie Verband (CIVD), 63,329 leisure vehicles were newly registered in Germany between January and July 2026, down 3% from the same period last year. Motorhome registrations fell by 3.3%, while caravan registrations declined by 1.9%.
The European picture is somewhat more resilient. In the first seven months of 2026, more than 149,000 leisure vehicles were newly registered across Europe, just 0.1% below the previous year. Motorhomes were slightly above the 2025 level, while caravan registrations were down 0.9%.
At the same time, the wider tourism impact of caravanning in Germany remains particularly strong. According to a recent study by dwif, cited by the CIVD, German campsites recorded around 56 million guest overnight stays in 2025, an increase of 13%, while a further 20 million overnight stays were recorded at pitches outside campsites. The CIVD estimates that travellers using motorhomes and caravans generated almost €23 billion in economic activity in Germany.
The combination of these figures points to an interesting contrast. Vehicle registrations are no longer growing at the exceptional rates seen in recent years, but the underlying demand for mobile holidays and the economic contribution of caravanning remain strong.
Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / Tillmann
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