Weekly Digest #18 · Apr 28 – May 3

We've rounded up the top motorhome, camper van, and vanlife news from April 28 – May 3, 2026. This issue: Bürstner discontinues caravan production, Poland proposes scrapping road tolls for campervans, Liguria is overwhelmed by an influx of 8,000 motorhomes, and Tom Hanks' son has traded Hollywood for a Nashville trailer park.

The week highlighted two opposing trends: the European market is contracting (caravan sales down 13% — Bürstner exits the segment), while tourist demand for infrastructure keeps rising — Liguria has introduced restrictions, Ireland is fighting a legal battle over traveller caravans near a racecourse, and Japan has quietly reached 607 RV parks. The takeaway for travellers: plan your pitches in advance; improvising in peak season 2026 is getting increasingly costly.

Industry

Germany/Netherlands: Bürstner will discontinue all caravan models from January 1, 2027, shifting focus to motorhomes and campervans. The company has been producing caravans since 1958; the reason is a sustained slump — 18,766 new caravans were sold in Europe in 2025, down 13.4% year on year.

Poland: Toyota has unveiled the Proace Max Tanuki camper van starting from 459,900 PLN (~€104,000). Two engine options (140 and 180 hp) and two body lengths; the base specification includes a kitchen, shower, and heating.

Poland: Mercedes has launched the all-electric VLE minivan on the Polish market, built on the VAN.EA platform with 800-volt architecture. Prices start from 398,200 PLN (~€90,000), with a 700 km range and 300 kW charging.

France: Rapido has updated a third of its 70-model catalogue to mark its 65th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of the Itineo brand — the largest refresh in the company's history.

Italy: Etrusco has won the iF Design Award 2026 for interior design. The Italian brand, founded in 2016, manufactures motorhomes in Tuscany on German chassis.

Laws and Restrictions

Poland: The Sejm is considering a bill to abolish e-TOLL charges for motorhomes and vehicles towing caravans used for leisure tourism.

Florida (USA): Governor DeSantis has signed bill SB 118, which reclassifies RV parks as commercial properties, capping municipal levies from 2026.

Ireland: The High Court has heard a case involving caravans parked on Ministry of Defence land near the Curragh racecourse — around 30 of the 33 mobile homes have already left, with three remaining.

United Kingdom: A little-known vehicle classification rule could result in unexpected speeding fines for campervan owners registered as commercial vehicles, which are subject to stricter speed limits than private cars.

Openings and Closures

Germany: At the Klanxbüll station (gateway to the island of Sylt), 20 motorhome pitches and four tiny homes will open in place of the originally planned hotel — a response to high demand for parking during the season.

Portugal: Four separate initiatives are progressing simultaneously — a campsite in São Marcos da Serra has already opened, a plot in Lagos is set for auction, a park in Pereiro is under construction, and Almada has a first VW Camper Festival planned.

Germany: The Am Hoschenhof campsite in Neunkirchen-Vluyn is closing permanently — residents received notice without a specific departure deadline.

Argentina: Andalgalá has launched the first motorhome route in the province of Catamarca, with designated stopping points and tourist facilities.

Lifestyle

USA: Chet Hanks, son of Tom Hanks, has moved into an RV park in Nashville to pursue a country music career — choosing a Jayco Eagle trailer over an apartment.

Italy: Liguria is reporting a motorhome invasion — over the past 10 years the country's registered fleet has grown by 113%, with nearly 8,000 units in the region alone, causing an infrastructure breakdown during peak season.

France: The couple Édouard and Valérie have covered 100,000 km in a Renault Master 4×4 across 30+ countries — from the North Cape to Senegal over four years.

Czech Republic: Rising airfares and global uncertainty are pushing Czechs towards motorhomes — more than 1,690 new motorhomes were registered in 2025.

Regional Roundup

Europe: the week's defining themes — a shrinking caravan market (Bürstner, −13% EU sales) versus growing tourist traffic (Liguria +113% over 10 years). Poland is proposing to scrap road tolls for leisure campervan travellers. Asia/Oceania: Japan publishes a ranking of 30 best campsites with mountain views; Australia records Chinese-made caravans winning on price ($65k vs $100k+). Global: Canadian associations RVDA/CCRVA have urged the government to protect the industry as part of the CUSMA trade agreement review.

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