The annual Caravan Salon is a huge event, hosting a vast array of the latest motorhomes and attracting thousands of visitors, says Techno Tom Bedworth
The Düsseldorf show is always a big attraction for motorhomers – particularly those wanting to buy something a bit special, and have the opportunity to see a little more choice than you might get in the UK.
The European market for leisure vehicles is much larger than the UK sector, so European manufacturers can often afford to spend more on design, testing, advertising and tooling than any UK manufacturer. Hence you just have to take a good look at what the European brands could offer.
Some show off their ranges at the NEC once or twice a year, but all of them will exhibit as much as possible at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, held at the end of August each year.
You will find a very respectable turnout of UK manufacturers there as well, which isn’t surprising, given that these days, several major UK brands are part of larger European, US or international conglomerates.
For example, Elddis is part of the Erwin Hymer Group, which in turn is part of Thor Industries in the US.
Plan your visit beforehand
The Düsseldorf Caravan Salon is simply massive, but it is also extremely well organised. This is the biggest show in Europe, with 16 halls and 250,000 square metres of exhibition space. It is also very well established – this year’s show will be its 62nd appearance.
The first day is the Preview, reserved for trade and press visitors only. Allow yourselves a visit of three days and in that time, you still won’t cover all of it.
Booking ahead might be needed
The onsite camping is excellent, with many spots offering 16A hook-up. Shuttle bendy buses run between all of the show entrances and the many parking areas. When the halls close in the early evening, the buses then run a free shuttle service into town, so if you are into a vibrant night life, you won’t be disappointed.
Most importantly, if you require a powered pitch or a mobility buggy, you must book in advance.
If not, just turn up and join the very well-organised queuing system – but do get your tickets online first to save time. The adjacent airport and hotels next door are very handy if that’s your preference for accommodation.
The mostly bionic Mrs T struggles a bit with her legs nowadays, so we enquired many months in advance if mobility buggies could be hi
