A land of mountains, lush forests, lakes, pretty coastline and, in the far north, a land of ice and snow virtually all year round – Sweden is a country perfect for an outdoor lifestyle. It is also one of the most environmentally and socially conscious countries in the world. Not surprisingly, such attitudes are now affecting its penchant for traveling resulting in ever increasing motor home and caravan use.
Over the past couple of decades Swedes have tended to head south to warmer climates as soon as the long hours of daylight begin to draw to a close in August, resulting in winter days and nights filled with darkness. Short breaks elsewhere in Europe were extremely popular. There are signs that this is now changing.
Sales in RV vehicles of all sizes along with all types of camping equipment are increasing – while sales of short break airline tickets are falling. The use of air travel has become a subject of scorn, with a new word reaching common usage – flygskram - that translates as ‘flight shame’. One in four Swedes believes that the environment is a key reason for staying on the ground. Instead of heading to another country for a short break, Swedes are looking at other recreational opportunities – and that includes greater use of motor homes and caravans.
Some motor home companies, such as Bromolla Husbilsexpro, are even reporting that sales are breaking all previous records. And it is not just motor homes – all types of recreational vehicles from caravans to motor homes are being purchased.
The statistics involved are quite staggering. The latest figures available are for 2017, and reveal that Sweden has the highest level of caravan ownership in Europe. There are currently 300,000 caravans registered in Sweden, resulting in 289 caravans per 10,000 inhabitants – and this is a country with just 9.9m inhabitants.
At the same time, motor home ownership is growing, giving Sweden the second highest number in Europe. In 2017, it had 81 motor homes per 10,000 inhabitants. This is a figure that is exceeded only by Finland, just across the border, which has 96 motor homes for every 10,000 inhabitants.
Such figures are expected to increase substantially and could easily result in Sweden possessing the highest motor home ownership across the entire European continent within a short time. Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration, has indicated that the number of newly registered motor homes increased by 50% since 2014.
Reasons for this growth are varied. Swedish environmentally conscious attitudes towards travel are definitely one of the most important reasons involved. This is a country where the environment has always played an important role. Numerous public figures have indicated their support for the concept of flygskram, while social media accounts are speaking out against promoting trips by air or to far flung destinations. Such attitudes resonate strongly with Swedish consumers.
Camping in the Moose Safari [Photo: Alexander Hall]
Peter Vlaanderan of luxury motor home manufacturers Kabe Group, acknowledges this situation saying, “ Flying is not so popular as it used to be. People are aware of climate change and concerned about plane travel. More people are staying for holidays in our own country and within other Scandinavian countries like Finland and Norway. Sweden is a country which is great for traveling by motor home or with a caravan.”
Anyone wanting to explore Swedish culture and heritage, has plenty to choose from such as the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s World in Vimmerby based on her Pippi Longstocking books, crystal factories in Glasriket, meeting Elks in Kalmar’s Elk Park. Cities such as Stockholm have many beautiful buildings and museums such as the Royal Palace, while the Vasa maritime museum with it’s amazing seventeenth century ship is a very popular destination. Skansen is an open-air museum offering insights into the way people have lived in the countryside over the centuries with many furnished farmsteads and workplaces to discover. It is located on one of the many islands that make up the city of Stockholm.
Traveling into the far north of Sweden brings you into contact with Lapp people and their very distinct culture. It is where you are most likely to see the spectacular Northern Lights and herds of reindeer.
Holidays taken camping and caravanning are very much part of the Swedish ethos. Swedes believe strongly in doing thing the ‘lagom’ way. This means ‘not too much, not too little’. During the long summer days, they automatically make the most of being out of doors taking part in water sports, hiking, cycling, swimming with the aim of making as little impact on their surroundings as possible by opting to camp or caravan.
There are over 450 camping and caravan sites with around 75,000 pitches available across Sweden, operated by the National Swedish Campsite Association. You can sleep under the midnight sun in Swedish Lapland, stay in a forest, beside a lake or on the coast. Campsites tend to be a very high standard. Typical sites include Saxnas Camping, Granna Campsite in Granna and Habo Camping near Jonkoping. Many of the sites have their own beaches, or lakeside facilities.
To use the campsites, you need to buy a Camping Key Europe card. This can be purchased in advance, online at www.camping.se. Alternatively it can be purchased at the first campsite you use in Sweden. The Camping Key card comes with numerous benefits – it is valid for a year, and can be used at many campsites around Europe as well as within Sweden. Special discounts may be possible such as on ferries around Sweden, and provides accident and liability insurance during your stay on a specific campsite.
Wild camping is commonplace, as long as you do not pitch tents or park on farmland or near a house. Wild campers can only stay in the same location for no more than two nights, and must not damage the environment in any way removing all trace of your stay. Caravans and motor homes can park overnight in laybys and designated public parking areas along public roads, but you cannot drive off road, park in a field or on the beach. Check local regulations before lighting fires, as bans may be in force as well as restrictions on the type of wood you can collect for use. In Sweden the concept of "do not disturb, do not destroy" is the key policy when it comes to outdoor life and activity.
The peak season for camping and caravanning is between June and July as this is when Sweden experiences maximum hours of daylight. At this time, most of the country has around 20 hours of daylight, while in the far north the sun might not even set hence its name of ‘the land of the midnight sun.’
Wherever you go in Sweden, expect a laid back, less hurried lifestyle. Most Swedes spend a lot of time each day taking ‘fika’ – drinking coffee and chatting.
Camping and caravanning is an option popular with all age ranges. Younger consumers, often with young families, tend to go camping or using caravans. What is becoming noticeable is the rise in motor home ownership among older consumers, especially among experienced campers and caravanners.
Kabe’s Peter Vlaanderan explains. “ Our customer profile tends to be much older and experienced campers. Many have been camping for thirty or forty years. They are now buying new motor homes offering luxury and comfort, which they use for their own holidays, but also make available for their grown up children. The motor homes are often used all year by different groups of people within a family unit.”
These are motor homes that are designed to cope with the type of weather conditions to be found in Sweden. Kabe motor homes can be used when temperatures are as low as -48 degrees Celsius, and as high as 50 degrees Celsius.
Within Sweden itself, most of the RV’s and caravans are not actually used for touring. The usual practice is to park the van in one place and leave it there all year, thus providing a permanent holiday home within a chosen location. The most desirable locations are caravan parks on the coast or on one of the many islands scattered around the coastline.
Even the weather does not deter Swedish consumers. Marcus Dolata, owner of motor home company Bromölla Husbilsexpro, has been reported in the local press as saying that “the worse the weather, the better it is for us. When it is raining people come here and look at motor homes instead of going to the beach.”
RV’s and caravans are also fast becoming one of the preferred options when it comes to long distance travel. Although planes may be faster, Swedes are opting for trains or RV’s/caravans simply because they are more environmentally friendly. Vlaanderan has found Swedish travelers taking Kabe RV’s on long distance journeys as far afield as Morocco, Spain and Iran.